[Author's Note: this whole story will be in the first person perspective of Blank. The story will progress based on what he observes and figures out first-hand. Beware of some violence and explicit language, though it shouldn't get too bad. Enjoy! Oh, and please feel free to review.]
Chapter 1: No Cloud, Nor Squall Shall Hinder Us.
Three weeks ago...
"Blank! Darlin'!"
Ah, that serene voice. It never gets old, especially when I wake up to it. I'd never admit it, but I love it when she talks at me with that attitude of hers or nags me over little things. She never fails to start my day right. Her blue hair and even bluer eyes have always mesmerized me, and her weird accent makes her that much more lovable. It's been this way for years, and I'll stay in this not-so-promising theater business as long as she does. I must be crazy for thinking about this same thing every morning. Yeah, crazy is the right word. I'll stick with that. I finally sit up, and then I yawn...
Smack.
...Only to be rewarded by slap on the head. I let my head fall forward, limp, and I slowly turn to look at her while my head stays low. I have one eye closed as an expression of my confusion and displeasure. She has her hands on her curvy hips, now, one leg bent. She raises her eyebrows at me. No words exchanged.I rub the spot on my head where she hit me.
"D'ya know what time it is?!"
I consider answering the question like the smart-ass that I am sometimes, despite the fact that it was rhetorical. I decide against it though, since I don't want to be slapped in the head again.
... Eh, what the hell.
"Time for you to get in bed with me?" I ask, hoping that she'd find the charm in that answer.
Smack.
I guess she didn't. Or, maybe she did, and is just trying to cover that wonderful smile of hers. I glance at her again, and realize how right I am. We both smile.
"Get yer butt outta bed, darlin'," she says as she quickly turns away, "Zidane invited ya'll boys to lunch at the castle!"
"Oh yeah..." I recall, "... aren't you coming too?" There's no reason in my mind as to why she wouldn't be invited. It's Zidane, after all.
"The girls an' I are havin' our own lunch!" she exclaims. That's a good thing to hear. She hasn't had many girlfriends to go out with. I finally stand out of bed and head to one of the bathrooms of the newly refurbished steam-powered Theater Ship, courtesy of the Regent of Lindblum.
I turn on the faucet, lean over the sink, and splash my face with the refreshing water. I look up into the mirror to meet my purple eyes, and I run my fingers through my messy, wavy orangish hair that I've been growing out. It's been three years since I was just a statue in the Evil Forest. Here I am, alive and unfrozen. Growing. Breathing. But I never stopped thinking. Somehow, in that petrified state, a part of my mind was still existent. I saw things, I conversed, but to this day, I have no idea what to think of it. After Marcus cured me and resuscitated me, everything I experienced in that sleep became a blur, like a dream. What a haunting dream, it was. Every morning, I try to remember, whether I want to or not. It never works.
Returning to my room, I put on some fitted, faded brown pants and my brown boots. Next, I put on my brown and white hooded vest; its colors have no clear pattern--it is made of patches of leather and cloth sewn together by none other than my Ruby. The patch-like design almost resembles my skin, something I've never been able to explain about myself. But, I was never judged about my seemingly sewn-up skin. This is Gaia, after all, filled with humans and demi-humans alike. Nothing is really out of the ordinary.
Finally, I equip my belts and my gloves. One wide, but short brown belt covers my forehead--a signature style of mine. It rests well above my right eye, but it barely rests above my left eye, slightly parting my hair to the left. Another belt acts as a strap that fits around my torso diagonally, from my right shoulder to my left hip. It holds my swords, while the belt around my waist holds any daggers that I might be carrying.
"Blank! Hurry--"
Our lips meet as soon as she opens the door again to my room. She blushes. The redness on her face contrasts her hair and eyes so well, and it makes me smile.
"Hold yer' chocobos," I playfully mock. She lightly pushes, again trying not to smile, and walks away.
About ten minutes later, the Theater Ship arrives at the new airship dock near Alexandria Castle. Ruby, Marcus, Cinna, Baku and I exit the ship to be greeted by none other than whom we consider our brother, the king of Alexandria, Zidane Tribal, and his queen, Garnet Til Alexandros XVII. Despite his royal status, he still wears his casual clothing. I'm not surprised at all. Zidane couldn't be uptight or formal even if he wanted to. Garnet, on the other hand, seems to still have the fitting attitude--one can tell by her formal dresses. I suppose it's always going to be with her, considering she grew up as a princess. Zidane had definitely lightened her up, though, ever since the world needed saving.
"Hey," I greet the royal couple.
"Hey there," Zidane says, as he waves. Garnet simultaneously greets me with a "Hi Blank! Ruby! Marcus! Baku! And um..."
"Cinna. It's Cinna." Cinna has a disappointed smile on his face. He always seemed to be the least memorable. I always figured that, with a face like his, there was no way anybody could forget the ugliness. I've been proven wrong many times, and this is one of them.
"Thanks for invitin' us over!" Baku is the first to walk down to the couple and greet them physically. He gives Zidane a casual handshake, and then quickly reverts his attention to Garnet to give her an awkwardly long hug. We all watch uncomfortably, as she loosens her grip more and more and she develops an unsure and uncomfortable expression on her face
"Ahem," Marcus clears his throat. We all know it's a hint to Baku. Zidane has an embarrassed expression on his face, but lightly laughs.
After some more greeting and some small talk, we start heading towards the dining hall. Ruby, Garnet, and Beatrix leave the castle to have their own time, while we sit to be served some lunch. Steiner stands guard inside of the doorway, and we all stare at him for a second.
"Steiner... Hey... Steiner!" Zidane yells out, trying to break the armored captain out of his robotic state.
"Y--yes, your highness!" he responds nervously.
"What the hell are you doing? 'Your highness'? Do I seriously have to remind you everyday to call me Zidane? Three years and neither of us can get used to this..." Zidane remarks, planting his face into his palm.
"My apologies, Zidane!" Steiner replies. Zidane looks up for a second with a confused look, and plants his face back down. He shakes his head, and sits back in his seat.
"Just get your ass over here and eat with us. 'At ease,' and all that junk." Steiner looks around, slumps his shoulders, and trots his way over to an empty seat the table. As a group of small demi-humans approach to serve us our food, I initiate a conversation.
"So, Zidane, how's it goin' with all the little Vivi's?" Vivi had plenty of sons a few years back, after the whole adventure, and I had been wondering if they've been staying at the castle or not.
"We found some real nice families that were open to taking care of them. The black mages in general are pretty accepted, since most of them aren't hostile towards anyone. Garnet and I figured it'd be too much of a hassle to try to take care of all of them."
"That makes sense," Cinna inputed. Indeed, it did. There were a lot of those tiny black mages. Having to take care of that many kids while running the kingdom is a lot of stress.
I take a sip out of some exotic looking soup, and take a bite out of some kind of meat. I don't know what I'm consuming, but it doesn't matter, because it's all so delicious.
"Damn. You got it made, bro," I compliment. Zidane humbly shrugs his shoulders.
"Hey, speaking of Vivi... You never really told us what happened, Zidane. How'd he... you know?" Leave it to Marcus to bring up such a topic. But, I can't blame him. We're all "brothers," after all, and we're all wondering the same thing. I can tell Marcus was reluctant to ask, but Zidane should have already told us.
Zidane hesitates. Just as he's about to speak, a scream is heard.
"Captain Steiner!" one of the Knights of Pluto calls out from behind the door.
"Intruders!" yells Steiner, standing up abruptly and knocking over his chair. He runs towards the door with thunderous clanks from his armor, and we follow.
There are four female Alexandrian soldiers and one Knight of Pluto on the ground of the main hall, unconscious or dead. I can't tell. The other knight that yelled earlier stands in a defensive position with his sword drawn, and his focus across the room. Above the bodies of the soldiers stands a figure. It turns its head toward us. He seems to see something in our direction that angers him, and he speaks.
"King of Alexandria... You..." he glares, and I take a second to look at Zidane, confused.
"You are unfit to be King!"