As they were exiting the ship Blank stopped them in the hallway, "Hey, I've got something for ya," He tossed a bottle into the air, Zidane nearly tripping to catch it.
"A love potion? How nice of you Blank, you're always thinking of me. But I won't need a love potion to reel this one in," Zidane smirked as he made a show of himself.
"Geez. Could you get your mind off girls for one second? It's a de-seeder, the potion I made for the knight," He said jerking his head in the direction of Steiner.
"Thanks."
"Oh, and the boss left a letter for you," He handed that over as well; Zidane reading and pocketing the note. After everyone filed out Kailynn stayed to talk to Blank, "I'll see you guys again once we all get back to Lindblum." He smiled at her.
"Can't wait," She played with her hair.
"Have you ever been to Lindblum?"
"No."
"I'll show you around then," He grinned.
"I'd like that," She blushed, "Bye."
"Bye."
She skipped, doing a slight twirl as she exited the ship, only to be jumped by her sisters, "Someone has a crush," Meadow teased.
"What of it?" Kailynn said.
"Is he your new boyfriend?" Tessa teased.
"Maybe," She smirked.
"Hey! Hurry up you guys!" Zidane called.
Going through the forest was hard but they were all learning together every step of the way. Even running away held some experience in it; wisdom. I wonder what level I am! Tessa grinned.
It was a much longer trek to the spring than first anticipated but they finally made it and slumped in relief, "No sign of any monsters here," Zidane looked around.
Kailynn walked over to the stump with a red pom-pom sticking out and squeezed it lightly. "KUPO! Don't touch my pom-pom! Kupo!"
"You're so cute!" Kailynn squealed hugging the moogle.
"Let go of me! Kupo! Please!"
Meadow walked over and made Kailynn release the moogle. "Geez, Kailynn even I showed a little restraint!" Tessa said.
"Shut up, Tess!" Kailynn said as the boys laughed.
"Are you Monty?" Tessa asked.
"Yeah."
"I got a letter for you, from Kupo."
"Really!? Kupo! A letter!?" Tessa dug into her pouch and handed him the slightly crumpled letter. "Do you want to read it with me? Kupo!"
"Sure," she smiled prompting Monty to read the letter out to them.
"Stiltzkin's traveling again? Kupo! I wish he'd come see me!"
Meadow took a drink from the spring, a content look appearing on her face. "Ah! I feel so much more refreshed!" Kailynn plopped onto the grass as she leaned against the stump. She pulled off her boot and shook out some rocks as she relaxed against it.
"You should, it's a healing spring," Zidane said. "Is everyone ready to go?" She sighed but nodded.
"I have a feeling the boss is a little further up the road. We should be careful," Meadow eyed the red glow across the lake.
Finally after a much longer walk than before they found a cavern. They heard eerie skittering as they walked inside, grotesque creatures eyeing them as they entered. Inside was a large dome made out of trees and in the middle was the Plant Brain. The silhouette of a human laid behind it in the darkness. "Princess!" The silhouette remained motionless as the group rushed over to them.
"Let's get em!" Kailynn launched at the creature with her blades drawn.
She made a feint before twisting and stealing a bottle she saw resting near its side, smirking at her skills.
Zidane followed a similar style of dance as he stole from it, slicing through a tentacle on his next run through.
Meadow breathed in heavily, closing her eyes and spreading her arms out; a green gas spreading through her hands as it drenched the plant like napalm.
Tessa used her newest ability, haste, on two of the fire wielders before rushing towards the Plant Brain with a half-baked plan and a timid battle cry.
The master plant lashed a tentacle at Vivi, knocking him to the ground before releasing a spray of powder, dowsing everyone nearby.
Steiner shielded his face before rushing to Vivi's aid, "Are you alright Master Vivi?"
"Y-yeah, I think so..."
"How about our experiment?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
Steiner raised his sword high, "For the Princess! For Alexandria!" His blade began to glow a harsh orange before bursting into a bright flame. "URAAAHGH!" He barreled toward the monster with no fear, "For Alexandria!" He thrust his sword into the trunk of the plant before slashing it through, "Take that you vile beast!"
In response a tentacle whipped through the air, hitting him in the gut and throwing him away from his sword.
He gasped for air, struggling to regain composure as another tentacle sliced through the air on its way to him.
In a last-ditch effort, he lifted his plate covered arm to shield his face.
He expected pain but braved the light when he heard an inhuman screech.
Lailah stood before him, "Are you okay?"
He nodded, "Thank you for your aid."
"You're welcome," he smiled. Lailah gave him a hand before handing him his sword.
Steiner grinned and nodded again, "You'd make a fine knight!"
Lailah smirked the two standing side by side as they braved the battle together like a team.
The two made quick work with several tendrils before Lailah jumped back.
Almost immediately, a brilliant white and blue light glowed from within, slicing through the plant as it grew larger.
Tessa was awed as Lailah dropped his hand, causing the ice to disappear.
He must have sensed her looking; as he smiled at her before blocking a flying tentacle.
As Kailynn pulled back her blade she dug the other one deeper into its pores, jumping back when she saw a tendril shooting towards her.
She tripped as a root lashed her in the back, knocking the air from her lungs as it sent her face down in the dirt on the other side of the cavern.
Zidane raised his daggers, catching the root like a pair of scissors as he sliced into it.
At the same time, the Plant Brain decided to release its dark spores into the air.
Nearly everyone in the party was swamped in darkness, all except for Kailynn and Vivi on the outskirts of battle.
"I can't see anything at all!" Tessa panicked as she rubbed her eyes. She breathed in slowly to calm her breathing as she thrust her hand into her pocket, digging frantically for eye drops. Air was forced from her as a tendril whacked her in the stomach.
Being thrown to the ground had her gasping as spine shivering cracks rushed through her.
She cried out for Lailah as she clutched her bruised ribs and gasped for air.
The ringing in her eardrums grew in intensity as her heart tried to escape its confines. Tears ran down her face before she felt arms wrapping around her, she jumped and a barely legible voice shushed, "Shh... It's okay… I'm here…" Something soft brushed across her skin and a light seeped into her eyes chasing away the darkness. "I'm here." She heaved a sigh of relief as his warmth smoothed her bones back into place. She was awed as she watched his feathers wrap around them in a soft glow. "That's enough fighting for now," he told her as he softly kissed her forehead.
Digging through her pockets frantically, Kailynn finally found eye drops, she threw them on Zidane, moments before she was swept away by the Plant Brain and sent into the cavern wall.
Gasping for air she held her arms over her head as it came lashing towards her once more.
She closed her eyes tightly, opening them hesitantly when she heard a loud screech.
She found Blank guarding her, a piece of tendril flopping in front of him like a dying fish. "You alright, Kailynn?" He asked over his shoulder.
"Yeah," She got up, "Thanks," she stumbled. Blushing as she fell into his back, "I think I need a potion though..."
"Do you have one?"
"Yeah," She downed one as soon as she got ahold of it. Her body reacted swiftly; going numb, then cool, before slowly relaxing. She stretched, "Okay, I'm good to fight."
He nodded, smirking as they ran into battle together.
Vivi finally realized his trance; summoning five consecutive fire spells causing the plant to release an ear-piercing screech as collapsed into itself.
Steiner ran to his princess as the beast faded, carrying her to Zidane so he could administer the medicine. Her only response was a cough, but the group was hopeful, "Drink all of it princess it'll make you feel better."
Tessa jumped when the wailing started, blood-curdling screeches that told of fear and rage. "What's going on!?" Vivi trembled.
"We gotta get outta here!" Zidane cried as he forced everyone out of the cavern.
"But, what's going on?"
"It looks like the forest is turning to stone!" he said eyeing the monsters that were chasing them.
"Hurry up!" Tessa screeched as the plant spiders jumped in front of their path.
"Hit the ones that matter and run!" Lailah told them.
The party followed his lead until eventually, they came upon an open stretch. Though no monsters stood ahead, it seemed every monster in the forest chased after them. One by one the furthest in the back started to solidify, the threat spreading faster with each new life taken. Zidane's breath quickened as a plant spider extended itself to capture him in its embrace. As it reached for him in its last moments, Blank took the fall by pushing Zidane out of the way. Kailynn screamed for him, seeming to have forgotten his fate as she stopped to run back for him. He told her to run as he threw the continental map to Zidane. The monkey in question, running to catch it as he grabbed the girl and threw her over his shoulder. She struggled as she had to watch the one she cared for solidify into a statue. As Zidane came upon the edge of the forest she grew more unruly, causing his stride to waiver as vines whipped at him trying to block their escape. Reaching the end was more difficult than he imagined, so much so that he had to dump her on the ground outside of the treeline. "How could you just let that happen to him!?"
"What is wrong with you!? He gave his life for us! He would have wanted you to make it out!"
"But I-! I was just starting to get to know him…" They both turned away from each other, Zidane kicking up a cloud of dust as he growled.
He turned away as Tessa and her guardian walked over, Tessa hugged her sister and whispered "Kailynn, Supersoft."
Kailynn wiped away tears "... You're right..."
"He was one of my best friends... We were like brothers..." Tessa could tell Zidane was on the verge of tears.
"Don't worry, Zidane, I know of an item that can cure him!" Tessa smiled.
"Tess..." Kailynn said worriedly.
"Really!? What is it?" He asked.
"Supersoft! I heard it cures all types of petrification! I don't know where to find it though. I just know it exists and that it's very rare. But, I know we can find it!" Tessa assured him.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive! My friends used one once to save another of our friends. Until one of them found it, I thought that friend was a goner. But they were perfectly fine!"
"Thanks, Tess," Zidane's face filled with hope. He turned to Kailynn "It's alright Kailynn. Friends?"
She forced a smile, "Friends."
"You're welcome!" Tessa grinned.
"You guys, um, we set up camp over here," Vivi told wrung his hands.
"Coming!" Tessa barreled down the hill to meet him while the others strolled behind.
Steiner exploded when everyone found their way to camp, "If it weren't for you and your gang-"
"What're you trying to say, Rusty?"
"If you scoundrels hadn't tried to abduct the princess we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"You're saying this is my fault?"
"Oh..." Garnet groaned waking up.
"Princess!" Steiner shouted as he rushed to her side.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"A fight," Meadow explained.
"What? Who?"
"Zidane and Steiner are arguing over the predicament. Which will get us nowhere," she added glaring at them.
"Hey, he started it!"
"We need to work together, you guys, we're a team now," Tessa said.
"I will not work with this-this brigand! It's his fault we're in this mess! Princess," he bowed, "We are going back to the castle immediately!" He glared at each one of them.
"I do not intend to return to the castle," Garnet said.
"What!?"
"What a coincidence eh? We went to snatch her and she wanted to be snatched," Zidane smirked.
"Impossible!"
"It's true…"
"So that's why you snuck into the castle?" Vivi asked.
"Yeah," Zidane said, "It's not like you can take her outta here now anyway," he told Steiner, "She's still recovering; you should know how it feels."
"Very well, I'll guard this place with my life!"
"We're counting on you!" Tessa saluted. Before relaxing next to Lailah, she snuggled closer to him and he wrapped an arm around her as well as a blanket. That constellation looks familiar...
It should.
What is it? Are we in the same solar system as home? She asked.
Not exactly... That constellation is called The Wolf.
What do you mean?
We're not in the same solar system, but you can see part of the Wolf from Earth, it's part of Draco.
Another world... She thought sleepily, I love the stars... Goodnight, Night. She giggled softly.
He smiled, Night, kid.
She closed her eyes, drifting to sleep, "Tessa?" Kailynn asked, "... She fell asleep."
"Good idea. This is the wildest day I've had in my life..." Meadow grumbled her way into the tent.
"I agree," Garnet said covering her yawn politely.
"Let's get some rest gang," Zidane stretched before laying down by the fire.
Vivi and the girls huddled in the tent while the others sat by the fire, Steiner standing watch. Lailah stared at the fire before closing his eyes and praying; for safety, strength, and his lasting promise.
