Hello there.
Thanks a lot for reading this chapter. I am glad to know that someone is interested in this story. Although there haven't been many reviews, the quality of the ones I've received have been keeping me going. Thanks to all who have left one.
Please enjoy this chapter.
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Well, so much for spending a little time with Dagger before I leave.
We entered a dining hall where it was just me, Dagger, Vivi, Steiner, Artania, and Regent Cid. It was pretty nice, and the table in the middle of the room was packed with what looked like way too much food. I guess royalty gets to eat like that all the time.
But I didn't stay that long. Throughout the whole meal, Steiner kept giving me death looks, and it was starting to get uncomfortable. I hated to let the time be cut short because of him, but he was starting to freak me out. As soon as the meal was over, I excused myself, saying that I had something to do (and that was escape Steiner's wrath). Dagger seemed a little reluctant to let me leave. I guess she realized that it might be the last time we got to see each other. It felt pretty good to know that she thought of me as a friend. But I just said I had to go and left. Vivi stayed there with them. Now, I'm walking down one of the streets of Lindblum. Although I was going to go to the hideout, I just didn't feel like going there right now. I guess I was too afraid to see that no one was gonna be there, and that would make me think about the chance that they didn't make it. Not really something I wanted to deal with right then.
So, I happened to see a little restaurant on the side of the street that I've been in a few times, and went in. Of course, I wasn't hungry, but I figured it was a better place to be in then it was to keep wandering around.
Upon entering the small café, I saw a few people sitting at some of the few round tables, one at the bar, and the bartender behind the counter. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do here, other than avoid the hideout for a while, so I just stood there, folding my arms and looking down.
I had more than one thing on my mind. One was the thing going on at Alexandria Castle, and if Cid would do anything about it when Dagger talked to him. And just exactly why Queen Brahne was doing all of this. I wondered what the Black Mages were for, where they had been in the years that no one saw them, and why they were being used like… puppets. It just wasn't right.
Another thing was how Vivi was taking it all. I had no idea how he ended up being adopted by his grandfather, and where he had been before and during that time. And, I wondered how he was dealing with seeing all of the Black Mages in the states they were in. He seemed to be keeping the feelings inside mostly, but I doubted that he was ignoring them. Maybe he didn't really want to talk about them. And I wondered what he planned on doing now. He just kind of came along with us on the little journey because he seemed like he didn't have anywhere else to go. Not that I would have left him behind anyway. But what did he plan on doing now?
The other thing was Dagger. I wasn't sure exactly what my thoughts on her were. Sure, I wondered if everything would go well with her uncle, and if they'd figure out the reason for all of these weird things. But… I think she was mostly on my mind because I was a little worried about her. None of this seemed very easy for her, although she didn't always show it. And I couldn't get rid of the reminder that I wouldn't get to see her again. I'd met people and never saw them again. Why was she any different?
Because she was different. She was a princess, on a mission to find out what her mother was doing. She was putting herself in great danger to get to Lindblum, considering that she was going to let herself be snatched by complete strangers just to get there. But she didn't act that much like a princess. Sure, she had the air of one, and she spoke like one. But… she wasn't arrogant or demanding. She was understanding, and treated those with a lower status then herself like equals. She treated me like a friend, although she barely knew me. Even when Steiner kept trying to tell her that I was just a common thief that couldn't be trusted, she ignored him, and had trust in my actions. And… there was something about that that I just couldn't get over. I couldn't believe that someone royal could consider someone like me a friend. It just proved that she looked past status and appearance, and trusted the character of a person. That wasn't something I ever expected to find in royalty. Ever.
"Sir?"
I looked up when I heard a voice over the small conversations in the room. As I looked up, I saw a waitress, holding a tray in one hand, looking at me quizzically.
I blinked. "Yeah?" I didn't know why she was looking at me like that.
"You're in her way, monkey-tail," a voice said from the counter. "She's been trying to get your attention for a whole thirty seconds, slow-mo." I looked, and saw the red-uniformed person sitting there. Her gaze was on the drink in her hand, but I'm pretty sure she was talking to me. And her tone was kind of rude. And she insulted my tail. Although Blank liked to do that, it really set me off when strangers liked to do it. What business did they have insulting me like that, especially when none of this was their business?
"Well, excuse me," I said, finding it hard to block my irritation. I stepped aside to let the waitress through, and kept my gaze on the person at the counter (Which, although I couldn't see her face, I could tell by looking at her that she was a Burmecian. You know, they look like human rats, kinda like the Canigans look like dog people).
Wait. Burmecians have tails!
"And thanks for insulting my tail, considering that you have one too," I challenged, facing the person with a look of annoyance. Maybe she wouldn't be so quick to insult something that she has too (Sure, hers didn't look like mine. It was thinner and a different color. But all the same, why do it when you have one too?).
Instead, all I heard was an amused grunt. What was so funny? I wasn't trying to be funny (for once). I was about to say something else, until she turned on her spinning stool and looked at me. My eyes widened a bit.
"Long time, Zidane," she said, a genuine smile on her face.
It was Freya. I met her when I was thirteen, when she came from Burmecia for the Festival of The Hunt. I happened to meet her afterwards, and we talked for a while. Apparently, she left Burmecia because she wanted to get away for a while. She didn't tell me why until we got to know each other better. She lived in Lindblum for a little while, then left in search of her boyfriend Fratley (which I found out was why she left Burmecia in the first place. She left to find him, but she decided to unwind with some competition, and she wanted to settle for a while). That was three years ago. I'm surprised she recognized me. Then again, it's hard to forget the only tailed person known to anyone anywhere currently.
I was actually happy to see her. I hadn't heard from her since she left, and I missed the friendship we had. I was anxious to catch up and see how she was doing.
But she decided to start our little meeting with an insult, so I decided to retaliate. Sure, sometimes that kind of humor was her, but she knew my humor too. And now that I wasn't ticked off, I was in the mood for a joke.
I looked at her with fake confusion. "And, you are?" I said, with genuine cluelessness. I kept some of my irritation in my voice so she would really think that I was still mad and I didn't know who she was. This is fun.
She looked at me, perplexed. "Don't you remember who I am?"
Sucker.
I let my tail flick behind me, as if it was mirroring my irritation, and said dryly, "Nope."
Freya's eyebrows creased with annoyance. But she also looked hurt by my forgetfulness. I started to feel bad, but hey, if she got to have her fun, so did I.
She tapped one of her long fingers on the counter momentarily before saying, "The Zidane I remember doesn't forget his friends."
Ok, I think that was enough. I don't want to tick her off.
I smiled mischievously, and wiped away any sign of my 'anger.' "Well, I haven't. But you should know how much I like jokes." I smiled stupidly.
Freya rolled her eyes and turned back to the counter. She looked mad, but I could see the corner of her mouth upturning into a genuine smile. "You haven't changed a bit."
I unfold my arms and walk over to the counter, still smiling with amusement. "Well, neither have you." I took the stool next to her and looked at her face. She looked at me. "You're still not very good at greeting friends nicely."
She snorted, and looked at her drink. "You weren't any better," she said with fake irritation.
I smirked. "You started it."
She grunted. "Yeah, I guess I did."
Ok, time to put joking aside. I really want to know where's she's been and what she's been doing. But hey, it was fun starting our conversation with humor. We tended to do that three years ago anyway.
Putting all joking aside, I said, "So, what have you been up to?" I was actually more excited to see her than I was letting on. But I didn't want to give her a hug or anything until we talked a little. Plus, if I remember right, she didn't usually like being hugged. But I would do it anyway. Cause that was just me.
She focused her gaze on her drink as she swirled the liquid in the glass. "Wasting time."
I nod. "Uh-huh." I paused, then said, "In other words, you were looking for your boyfriend, and you never found him?" I didn't mean to be so blunt, but sometimes you kinda had to be blunt with Freya. That is, unless she changed during her travels. But I doubt she did that much, considering the way she greeted me.
She sipped her drink. "Basically."
I tapped the counter a couple of times with a finger. That must be tough. Sure, I could only sympathize, but I could tell, even when I was thirteen, how much she missed this guy, and how much she wanted to find him. Apparently, he left because he thought that the only way to protect Burmecia, and Freya, was to learn more about the swordsmanship of other countries, just in case they ever had a battle. He promised he'd be back. But after all those years, he never did.
"Well, don't let it get you down," I said, giving her a light pat on the back. "You'll find him."
Freya paused, then a small smile spread across her lips. "You really haven't changed." I smiled back.
There was a short pause, then she turned to me, putting on a happier face (at least what was happier for Freya) and asked, "Well, enough about me. What have you been doing?"
I let a small sigh escape my lips as my eyes widened slightly. "You wouldn't believe it," I said.
She smirked. "Try me."
So, I went on to tell her everything that happened; the Boss doing a favor for a friend that included kidnapping the Princess of Alexandria, Garnet, how we escaped from Evil Forest, how it petrified with possibly all of the Tantalus guys inside, traveling to Dali, teaching Dagger how to act like a commoner, and getting to Lindblum. I even let her know the things that happened with the Black Mages. Heck, I couldn't figure out what was up with it all, so I thought she might.
Freya paused, her brow creased slightly in thought. "So… you don't know why Queen Brahne is 'producing' these Black Mages."
I shook my head. "Nope."
"And that's why the Princess left and came here? To talk to Regent Cid about it?"
"Yeah, basically."
Freya averted her gaze momentarily. "Hmmm. Well, whatever this is can't be good. I don't know what the Queen would want, but I don't think she would be kidnapping and brainwashing Back Mages just so they could run her airships."
I blinked. "Brainwashing?"
Freya looked at me and nodded. "You said that the mages had no idea of your presence on the ship, and only responded when you gave them an order. She must be using some kind of magic to alter their minds."
Wow. I don't think I really thought of that before. I was just trying to figure out how they suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and what the Queen wanted with them.
I looked to the side momentarily, then looked at her and said, "Is it something to worry about?"
"Well, only time will tell," Freya said. "If Princess Garnet is successful in her mission to get behind all of this, and the Regent helps her, perhaps anything that the Queen was planning can be avoided."
I nodded. Well, I certainly hope that would work. Queen Brahne had to be planning something big if she had that many Black Mages, but Dagger came here because she believed that regent Cid could help. Maybe after talking to him, everything would work out.
I shrugged lightly, as if I thought there wasn't much point in talking about it anymore. "I guess we'll just have to see how things work out with Dagger." Well, I said that, but how the heck was I supposed to hear how it went? I wasn't gonna be able to see her anymore. Once things worked out with her mother, she'd probably go back to Alexandria. Then, if the Boss and the others were ok, I'd end up going back to the norm. Well, at least my norm. That didn't sound pleasant.
Freya ordered another drink from the bartender, then looked at me. "The Princess picked that name?" she asked.
"Huh?" I said. I was thinking too much again, and I didn't hear her.
Freya rolled her eyes as if annoyed, but I knew better. "Princess Garnet. She chose the name Dagger?"
"Oh. Yeah," I said. "And really quick too." I didn't notice how much admiration entered my voice. "You should have seen how smart she was. She picked that name up in like, a second, and she dumped noble speech overnight." I raised a finger. "And, she can use White Magic." I lowered my finger and shrugged a bit. "Well, she's not very experienced, but she was really helpful a couple of times."
Freya smiled and snorted. The bartender gave her the drink, and she wrapped her long fingers around the glass and smiled into the liquid. "Someone sounds awfully impressed."
I shrugged my hands and said, "Well, wouldn't you find all of that impressive?"
She sipped her drink and said, "Never mind."
I smirked. "Oh come on. You got something to say, say it."
Freya simply smiled slyly, and shook her head. "You'll figure it out yourself."
I gave her a light push on the shoulder. "I'll get it out of you eventually," I teased.
She shook her head, smiling at my little game. "You won't need to."
I lifted my eyebrows. "Oh really?" I put up my dukes in a mocking fighting way. "Want me to beat it out of you?"
She snorted with real amusement this time, and looked at me. "You really think you can take me?"
I lowered my fists and said in a matter-of-fact way, "I've gotten a lot better at fighting since the last time we talked."
"Hm," Freya said, looking back at her drink. "Well, I'll have to take up your challenge another time."
"Why?"
"I want to save my energy for the Festival of the Hunt."
I smirked and rolled my eyes. "That's two days away. As if you're not going to train within that time." I gave her a goofy kind of challenging look. "That's not true."
She shrugged her shoulders and looked at me. "Ok, you want the truth?" I nodded.
Her mouth upturned into a half smirk. "I really am going to enter the Festival of the Hunt, but I don't want to fight you because I'd rather save you the humiliation." The half smirk turned into a full one.
I rolled my eyes and turned my stool toward the counter, but I couldn't hide my smile. "We'll just see who gets humiliated next time we fight."
She sipped her drink. "I guess we will."
We left the talking at that.
After a little while, it started to get late, and I decided to find a place to stay for the night. I said goodbye to Freya (and gave her an enthusiastic hug that she acted like she didn't like) and left the restaurant. As I walked, I decided that I didn't want to go back to the hideout yet. Even if everyone was ok, they wouldn't have made it back to Lindblum yet, and I didn't want to spend the night alone. Well, I would be spending the night alone anyway, but I just didn't want to do it there. And going there to see that no one was there just wasn't really something I could handle right now. I know, I was procrastinating. But I couldn't help it.
I rented a room in a nearby hotel, and I settled down on the bed for the night. I lay on one of the beds, my hands behind my head as I stared up at the dark ceiling.
And when I do that, I tend to think a lot.
And who could blame me? I had a lot of stuff on my mind. Like, what would happen when Dagger talked to Regent Cid. I wondered if everything would go ok, and Dagger would be able to go back to Alexandria and get things back to normal. It didn't seem like it would be that easy, considering what Queen Brahne had been doing. I doubt that something as simple as a talk would be enough to calm things down over there. I mean, come on; she's been messing with Black Mages. What would she want all of them for? And there had to be something worse going on, considering the way Dagger was talking about her concerns. I didn't get the full story, but if her mother was behind all of it, and she had to run away to see her Uncle about it, then there was no way that a conversation would be all it took to settle things. Something was gonna happen. I just didn't know what.
And I still didn't know what happened to the rest of Tantalus. If they did make it out, who knows how long it would take them to get back here? How long would I have to wait? And sure, I would be happy to see that they were ok, but… I left the band again. And this time, I didn't know if I wanted to go back. Sure, I said I always went back because they were all I had. But I was sick of being a thief. I always hated it. And if I went back, it would go right back to the old routine of 'Do what the Boss says, or get a beating.' I couldn't stand that anymore. No matter the fact that he and the other guys were the only thing I had that could be called a family. It would take some getting used to, but I could try to find a way to live by myself. I managed to earn some money, instead of stealing it, and using that would be a start. Maybe I could explore another continent in an attempt to find out where I came from. There were so many questions as to where I came from, and how I got here. There were no other tailed people on this continent. Sure, I hadn't been everywhere here, but every race was known and mentioned, except mine. That was plain proof that none of them lived here. So, maybe there was a chance that they lived somewhere else. Maybe I could find them, and live there. Yeah, I know; fat chance that they were still anywhere, and fat chance that I'd ever find them. But it had to be better then life as a thief.
Ok, I really hate it when I think so much. I do it way too much, and I just get myself depressed when I think about it all. When I think about the chances of any of it being or happening, I end up disheartened.
I rolled onto my side and curled my legs closer to my body. I just have to stop thinking about it. It makes me feel so helpless and small when I do. I hate that feeling. It's just not me. I never let things make me feel like I have no power to decide what I can do or change what's around me. I always feel that there's something I can do, no matter how important or insignificant. That's what made me feel like I could help Dagger. It was my responsibility, because I made it my own. I knew I had the power to help, and if I have the power to help anyone in any way, I'll do it.
I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind so I could fall asleep. I just had to believe that things would turn out for the better, no matter how they looked. And hey, maybe the chances of finding more people like me were higher than I thought. After all, I never thought there was any chance that a princess would treat me like anything other than a thief, let alone an equal. Dagger made me feel like… I was her friend.
I guess you can't base everything on chance.
- - - - -
InterludeDagger pulled the silk blanket closer to her chin as she tried to find sleep. But her eyes remained open, staring blankly at the night sky out the window of her temporary room.
Her conversation with her Uncle Cid kept replaying in her mind. He had said that they could wait until the next day to talk, but decided to let her discuss the problem that day, seeing as she was so concerned about it. She was relieved that he listened to everything she said, and considered every word. It felt so wonderful to finally confide in someone who would listen about the problems that had been going on in Alexandria for so long. No one at her castle would listen, and she was thankful that her Uncle did otherwise.
But, no matter how much he listened, and how he tried to reassure her with his words, she was not comforted with his answers.
Dagger stared at her gloved hands as she sat at the table in the Lindblum Castle Conference Room. Her chair was positioned next to the head of the table, where Regent Cid sat. He watched her with an unwavering gaze, waiting patiently for her to begin.
But she didn't know here to start. There were so many things to say, and she wanted to be clear with her concerns. They were important, and she knew the goings on in Alexandria could have an effect on the entire country.
Finally, she looked up at her Uncle, and said, "There… There have been many things going on at the castle that cannot be ignored."
Cid nodded. "And they involve the Queen," he said.
Dagger nodded. "Yes." She paused. No matter how relieved she was that something could possibly be done about the things that had worried her for so many months, she felt nervous to continue. Whether it was her fear that her Uncle would be able to do anything, or that everything she had done would all be for naught, she wasn't sure. Or, maybe she was just afraid to hear herself admit what her mother was behind. She had admitted it to herself before, but hearing herself say the words would confirm her inner suspicions. She didn't want to believe that her mother was capable of any of this; that her kind heart had been somehow changed into something that no longer cared for the things she once held so dear.
But avoiding anything that could affect so many people was selfish, even if she herself didn't want to believe what she had seen at her castle over so many months. Never trying would lead to nothing. Doing what she could would be better than sitting back and fearing something that would eventually have to be faced in order to help so many people. That was why she was here in the first place.
Finally, she looked at her Uncle, and started her explanation.
"About nine months ago… three months after father died… a strange man showed up at the castle. He began requesting private audiences with my mother, and she granted them." She paused and looked away, knowing that the rest was what had been causing so many problems in Alexandria. "After the audience, my mother wouldn't speak to anyone for the rest of the day. Not even me. We thought that the man had upset her, but she informed us the next day that he would be back, and that it would be a private audience."
Dagger looked at her hands, watching her fingers over lace one another as she continued. "He came back a few times over the months, and every meeting was private. No one but the two were ever allowed in. Whenever someone asked my mother about it, she would simply say that it was her business."
Dagger paused, and swallowed the odd lump in her throat. "And soon… she began to change. She never talked to anyone unless it was about the routine needs of the town, and she became irritable and short fused. Our conversations became sparse, and whenever we did talk, she acted as if her mind was elsewhere, and talking to me was a waste of time." Dagger tried to ignore the pain in her chest as she remembered how her mother's negligence had made her feel. "She only seemed to care about the absolute needs of the town, and her meetings with this man."
Cid took a moment to ask a question. "Did you ever see this man?"
Dagger twiddled with her thumbs, avoiding eye contact with her uncle. "I caught a glimpse of him once, but their meetings were so discreet that he usually managed to get where he needed to in the castle without being seen."
Cid frowned a bit, then nodded. "Continue."
Dagger paused momentarily to make sure she hadn't missed any details, then said, "Then, about a month ago, I saw an airship arrive at the castle, carrying barrels with a green symbol. I never knew what was inside until recently, but I knew it couldn't be good.
"I knew that there was something wrong. But when I tried to talk to some of the castle staff about it, they just said that I was worrying too much. It was as if they thought nothing of the sudden and vast change in my mother, and the appearance of the man. But I knew they thought something might be amiss. They just thought it out of their place to speak anything badly of the Queen. The only ones who didn't seem to take any opinion on the subject were Beatrix and her soldiers. They became a bit secretive along with my mother, and they were helping when the ship arrived with the barrels." She paused, still trying to make sense of all of the things she'd seen.
"But, because no one would approach the matter of the strange things going on, I knew I needed help from someone else." She turned her head toward Cid, but didn't look him in the eye. "I thought, maybe you could talk to her and stop all of these things from happening." She looked back at her hands. "But she wouldn't allow me to leave the castle. But her reasons were always bland. I knew she didn't want me to leave the castle; I just didn't know why.
"So, when I learned of the play to be held on my birthday, and that the ship and actors would be provided by Lindblum, I decided to sneak on board and come here. I knew it was risky and reckless, but it was all I could think of. I couldn't do anything if I just stayed there." Her eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion at her next words. "But… when I got on the ship, I met Zidane and asked him to kidnap me. And I found out later that he and the other crew members were sent there to capture me."
Cid looked at the table, and let a small sigh. He hesitated, then said, "I was the one who sent them to kidnap you."
For the first time since she began her narration, Dagger looked straight at her uncle, her eyes open in shock. It was him? Why?
Cid looked up and looked at Dagger. He began his explanation before she could ask any questions. " Gwok-Gwok I have known about the disturbances in Alexandria for some time. Our fourth Aerial Division noticed strange activity as it was patrolling the border by Alexandria. They reported a small cargo ship landing at the castle at odd times. But the ship wasn't accounted for in Alexandria's shipping record. And they noticed some strange activity among the guards; different posts, absences from nightly patrol, and less of them were seen guarding than should be. Although some would consider these things not worth any concern, I knew better. When a country begins acts that become secretive, it often means trouble. And I knew that whatever it was, Queen Brahne was behind it." He softened his tone, as he knew anything he said would affect Dagger. "I knew that something was wrong. Not just because of these things. But I also knew something was happening with your mother. I tried to contact the two of you, but found that she was refusing contact with any outer country. Although… I knew that the King's death had an affect on both of you, I knew it was something more. All of these things put together were not coincidence. I knew your mother was planning something, and it wasn't in the best of intentions."
He blinked and folded his tiny hands together, then said, "So, I knew that the first course of action would be too get you to a safe place. If the Gwok Queen was refusing all contact with other countries, then I knew you wouldn't be able to contact anyone, and you would be caught in the middle of whatever was going to happen. But with all contact with Alexandria out of commission, a request for a visit would be impossible. So, the only chance was undercover." He shook his head slightly. "I know that it might have been a frightening experience to use kidnapping as the resource of your safety, but it was the only way to get you out, and hide any evidence that Lindblum was behind it." He nodded with a little smile. "So, I asked a favor of my old friend, Baku. He agreed to take his men and pose as the Lindblum actors, and get you out of Alexandria."
He paused, and his face appeared slightly saddened. "But when the ship did not return that night, we feared that something had gone wrong. Then our Aerial Fleet confirmed an attack on the theater ship, and sight of it was lost after it left Alexandria. We did not receive word of it until the next day, and we could send no one to search for it. There were not enough resources in the fleet to send anyone after it, and they had no idea where it might have gone, so a search would have proven useless."
Dagger blinked. She had no idea that her Uncle had already know so much about the goings on. It actually made her feel relieved that someone else knew about it all, and something was being done. He knew about the disturbances, and his first priority was her safety. She would be forever grateful for it.
Cid looked at Dagger with a small Gwok . "And I'm afraid that is all I know. I do not know how you managed to get here, and what happened to the ship and its crew. Would you please inform me on your journey here?"
Dagger nodded. "Of course." She paused to gather her thoughts and try to make sure she wouldn't forget anything important.
So she went on to tell him that the ship crashed in Evil Forest, she was captured by a monster and rescued by Zidane, Steiner and Vivi, and the ship petrified upon their escape, leaving Zidane's friend behind, and possibly all of Tantalus. She explained how Zidane guided them to Dali, and the underground facility where Black Mages were being held. She mentioned the Black Waltzes that had been sent by her mother to capture her, their escape on the Cargo Ship, and their discovery of the Black Mages in the barrels.
"Black Mages?" Cid asked.
Dagger nodded. "It was if they were being controlled… They never responded to our presence, as if they didn't know we were there. The only time they did was when they protected Vivi and I from another Black Waltz."
Cid looked at the table, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, and his small head shaking occasionally as he considered all f the things he had just heard. It was strange to hear the appearance of the long departed Black Mages, and the circumstances that they appeared in. The only explanation for it was an army; Queen Brahne was planning a battle of some kind, if not a war. But for what purpose? On what grounds? And where had she managed to find these Black Waltzes? Although it was plain that she wanted her daughter returned to the castle, why would she use monsters for her efforts? Clearly, something had taken a terrible turn in Queen Brahne's intentions. Something wasn't right, and it had to be approached soon, but with care.
"Uncle Cid?"
Cid looked up to see Dagger looking at him with slight concern.
Well, he knew that the circumstances were not looking good. Something worse than he had thought was going on, and it had more stakes than he originally calculated. But he would do his best for his country, and for Princess Garnet.
He looked at Dagger, and tried to use honest words that wouldn't cause too much worry. "Well, these are things that we will need to approach carefully. With the information you have given me, I believe that your mother is planning on starting a war with these mages." He continued before Dagger could show any shock. "But, perhaps it can be avoided if we request an audience with her when South Gate is prepared, and we can get there by airship."
"But…" Dagger started, "If she is planning… a war, shouldn't we try to find a way to approach it sooner?"
"The fastest way to get to Alexandria is by airship, and the Queen won't carry out any of her plans with our airship fleet watching her. If all goes well, we should be able to speak to her, and find a way to prevent any of this from happening."
Dagger paused. Although she still had her worries, she nodded. She trusted her Uncle, and knew that he would keep his word. She would just have to wait.
After the conversation, Cid brought her on a little tour of the airship dock. It was there that he told her the truth behind the attack that had transformed him into an Oglop. He admitted with sincere shame and regret that he had his eye on a woman at a pub in Lindblum, and when his wife learned of it, she changed him into an Oglop, and left in his latest airship model, 'Hilda Garde.' He used the abduction story as a cover-up for the people of Lindblum. He had long since regretted his actions, and only wanted to find his wife and make up for his wrong. But he didn't know if she would come back. He could only wait. The information was all surprising to Dagger, but she listened to him, as she knew he was just in need of someone to talk to. She didn't think differently of him, and only lent her ear, as was intended. After that, they had dinner in the conference hall, and Dagger was soon led to one of the guest rooms on the floor below the Regent's chambers for the night.
But it just felt as if it wasn't that simple. Would talking to her mother really be all it took to prevent any sort of war? Could things really go back to the way they had been after all that had happened?
But she tried to tell herself that her Uncle would know what to do. He had known about the disturbances in Alexandria before she even told him. True that she had information that he didn't have, but he was still aware of the changes.
But, although she was glad that someone with more knowledge on these things already knew about the goings on, it made her feel a bit… silly. She had worked hard to get here and tell Cid about the things happening at her castle, but he already knew most of it. And he had enough intellect to realize that it was important to get her out of there, even before she had decided to get out. She was glad that he knew what to do. But knowing that he knew so much when he watched from afar, and she barely knew anything when she was in the middle of it all made her feel like she was a step behind in it all. It made her wonder how she thought she could have done anything with such little knowledge. She just thought it would be a journey to warn her Uncle that her mother was hiding things, and that she thought something bad might happen. But it turned out that he already planned on getting her out, and he already knew that the Queen's intentions were much more dangerous than she had thought. She felt helpless, and like she hadn't known anything. And her decision to leave complicated her Uncle's plan. Because of her, the ship had crashed, and people possibly died. No… She couldn't think that way. She had no idea that they would be there to get her, and her choice to leave had been for her people. It wasn't her fault. She just had to let her Uncle handle it now.
She rolled over, facing the wall opposite the window, and closed her eyes. She just had to sleep and not worry about it. None of this was her fault.
Now that she thought about it, she now knew who sent Tantalus to get her. Zidane said he didn't know. Maybe she should tell him. But how would she? She guessed that she wouldn't get to see him again. After all, once things settled down, she would be able to go back to Alexandria, and he had a life here, didn't he? She would regret missing out on seeing him. He was a good friend, no matter how short their time had been together. Maybe she should try to see him one more time, to tell him about the kidnapping, and tell him how much she appreciated what he did for her. She owed him that at the very least.
But no matter how much was going on in her mind, the strange journey and long day had taken a big toll on her. After she cleared her head a bit, sleep came to her more easily than she thought.
- - - - -
A shiver assaulted my spine as I stared at the darkness. I was so cold… and scared… where was I? What was happening?
I hugged my curled up form as my teeth shattered, keeping my eyes closed. I was soaked, and I could feel wet sand underneath me. But I didn't open my eyes. I was afraid of what I might see. I could barely think, I was so cold and confused. My mind couldn't process how I had gotten here. I didn't know were I was, or recall how I had gotten where I was. I felt a small splash of icy water lap against my feet. I shook at the frigidity. I didn't know if there was anyone around me. I couldn't feel or hear anything, except for the breeze that brushed against my wet clothes, only increasing my discomfort. I just wanted it to stop…
"Hey!"
I heard a deep voice call, almost like it was in a fog. My breath caught, and I became still. Did I imagine that?
"Hey! Are ya ok, kid?"
This time, the voice was a little louder and clearer. I didn't know who it could be, or if it was safe, but I felt great relief to know that there was someone here. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and turned my head toward the voice.
The figure before me was blurred, so I blinked a few times. As it came into focus, I saw a large man looking down at me, his face contorted with confusion and concern.
"Hey," he said, "I asked if ya were ok."
I blinked, and shivered again, partially out of fear. This man was big, and a stranger. But he was the only one around, and I was glad to see anyone with me.
But I couldn't manage any words. My mind was still too clouded, and my body still racked with shivers. I just hugged myself closer, and lay my head down.
Just then, I felt big hands wrap around me and lift me. They held me against a broad chest, and I heard a voice mumble, "Kid should answer me when I ask him somethin'." I felt him shift, then begin steadily walking somewhere.
But all I could pay attention to was the slight warmth that his body gave off, and how tired I was. I soon found myself asleep as the stranger carried me away.
I opened my eyes. My vision was greeted by a sunlit window.
With a small sigh, I rolled onto my back and ran a hand down my face. I guess I was dreaming again. I've had that one before too, but not recently. I don't know what set it off. I guess it's because Tantalus was one of the things I was thinking about before I fell asleep last night. Yeesh. Can I think of anything without making myself dream?
Oh well. That one wasn't so bad. Sure, it reminded me that I didn't know how I got here, but it also reminded me that Baku probably cared more than I think. It's easy to forget when he's teaching you to steal and giving you beatings when you don't listen. But that dream reminded me that he wasn't all bad. Heck, he could have left me there. But he didn't. And I'd always be grateful, no matter what.
But it didn't mean that I might not consider the other thing I thought about last night. Sure, Baku cared about me in his own weird way, but it didn't mean I had to stay with the band. He said himself that I could leave. And I just might. Maybe for good. I guess it depended on if I thought it would be worth going off and trying to find something better for myself.
But I could worry about all that later. First things first. I gotta stop procrastinating and go check the hideout.
So, I got up, had a little breakfast at the Inn, and left the building.
Once I stepped out, I gladly greeted the morning. It felt pretty good to be back in a familiar place. The streets were bustling with people, some on their daily routines, and some undoubtedly getting ready for the Festival of the Hunt tomorrow. It always got busier here during that time, so I would have to be prepared for a lot of commotion.
So, I headed over to the cable car so I could go to the Theater District. It was still pretty early, but I still hoped it wouldn't be too packed. After all, the cables cars were the transportation between districts, so they were almost always in motion. And I didn't like being jammed in a small space with a bunch of loud people.
After about a minute, I entered the small housing that held the cable car. There were a few people chatting in the corners of the room, and the car just parked ahead. I walked over as it opened and people started walking out.
As I made it to the doors and the last of the people exited, my eyes caught sight of a pointy hat. At the same time, I saw a pair of big yellow eyes look up at me.
I blinked with surprise. "Hi, Vivi," I said enthusiastically. I didn't expect to see him all of a sudden. Actually, I felt bad that I hadn't thought about him much since yesterday. I don't have any idea what the others did after I left the castle. I was too busy trying to make sure I could leave with my head intact.
Vivi blinked at me, looking equally surprised. "Hi, Zidane," he said brightly.
Well, time to see what he had been doing. I felt bad that I hadn't even thought about what he was going to do for the night. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Did you stay at the castle last night?"
Vivi nodded, his surprise in our unexpected meeting gone. "Yeah." He paused as we both stepped aside to make room for some people who wanted to enter the car. "After you left, Regent Cid offered a room to me, and I accepted. I wasn't really sure where I would have gone anyway."
I scratched the back of my head a little guiltily. "Sorry about that. I should have thought about that before I left."
Vivi shook his head. "It's ok," he said sincerely. "I'm just glad that they were so nice to me." He looked at me with a bit of curiosity. "How come you left so fast? I bet they would have let you stay, too."
I lowered my hand and shrugged it. "Well, Steiner kept freaking me out with these death looks, and I thought it would be safer to steer clear as soon as I could."
Vivi blinked. "Oh. Right." He seemed a little confused on the subject. Probably because Steiner liked him so much, but he hated my guts.
I folded my arms and said, "Anyway, I was just gonna go check the Tantalus hideout. What were you doing?"
"I was gonna look around town," Vivi said. He watched a couple of people get in the car, then looked at me. "I've never been here before, and I thought it would be fun to explore."
"Oh. Well, you'll definitely have fun with that," I said honestly. "Just be careful," I warned with a bit of sarcasm. "City people are scary around the Festival of the Hunt. They run all over the place preparing for it, and it can get kinda dangerous."
Vivi frowned with confusion. "What's the Festival of the Hunt?"
"It's a hunting contest that's held here every year," I said. "They release monsters in the city, and contestants hunt them down for points. The one with the most at the end gets a reward, and the title of 'Master Hunter' until the next year."
I found it a bit funny as Vivi gulped. I guess something like that doesn't appeal to him. Then again, it doesn't surprise me. Although he did well in the battles we fought on our way here, he seems like he hasn't had much experience fighting.
"It sounds dangerous," he said.
"Well, it is," I said. "But it's a good way to test yourself in battle, and the reward isn't bad either."
A little of Vivi's fear disappeared, and he asked, "Have you ever entered it?"
"Nah," I said. "I never felt like I had enough battle experience to enter. Might've gotten killed."
Vivi's eyes widened, and he gulped again. "You can die?"
I lifted one of my hands in a shrugging way. "Yeah. They set real monsters loose, so it's a possibility. But it doesn't happen that often. People know that it's a serious contest, and you can't just enter on a whim."
He still looked a little freaked out, but I guess what I said reassured him a little.
I looked over at the cable car as another person entered it. It was already getting pretty full, so if I was gonna go, then I better do it before it gets too full.
I unfolded my arms and said, "Well unless you want me to go with you on your tour, I have to go." I would feel bad if I didn't at least offer. He's never been here before, and I live here, so I thought he might want someone who knows their way around.
Vivi took a moment to consider it, then shook his head. "No, it's ok. You can go to your hideout." He smiled a bit. "Thanks anyway."
"Ok," I said, having no problem with it. "I guess I'll see you later?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
I waved as I walked over to the cable car. Once I stepped in, the door closed, and the car rumbled as it began to pull away from the station.
Well, that was cool. I didn't feel bad anymore about leaving him at the castle, since he was allowed to stay, and he's doing fine. And his mood seemed pretty up, so I guess he hasn't been thinking about the black mage thing. Or maybe he's just good at dealing with things like that. Either way, I was glad to see that he wasn't the type to let things eat at him. Although, I know it had to be bothering him at least a little. It'll be nice when we can finally find out what's going on. That is, if Dagger was able to tell Cid everything, and he was going to do something about it. I still remembered what Freya said about brainwashing the Black Mages, and that she wouldn't be going through all that trouble for nothing. I just hoped that, no matter what it was, it could be avoided.
After a few minutes, the cable car stopped by the Theater District. I was glad to get off, considering the people on board were just as chatty and crammed together as I expected, and walked up the flight of stairs that led out of the housing.
As I entered the street, I felt a bit of relief to be back out in the open. There weren't as many people in the streets here, considering that most of the Festival shopping would be done in the Business District. I turned to the right, and walked the short way down before going down the slight of stairs that led to the lower part of the district.
As I got to the bottom and headed down the path that led to the hideout, I started to feel a bit nervous. I knew they wouldn't be there; there was no way they could have gotten back that fast if they got out of the forest. But I didn't want to go back and find it empty. It would just make me feel down, knowing that they weren't back, and reminding me that they might not have gotten out. But I couldn't just keep stalling. There was still a small chance that they were there. And even if they weren't, it didn't mean that they weren't ok. Like I told myself before, they've been in dangerous situations that they managed to survive.
Just ahead, I saw the tall clock tower that served as the Tantalus home. Well, at least it was where we would stay when we weren't traveling for a job (or, better known as a stealing expedition). Telling myself what I had thought on the way here, I walked inside.
The building was a bit run down, with a few odd floorboards, but it was in good shape. There were a few beds on the first floor, along with a large window on the wall opposite the door. The bell hung from the ceiling, and they were the only slight bother. The bell would ring at sunrise, at noon, and at sunset. But it was run by a mist machine, so the building was just considered an extra space. So no one thought anything of the fact that a group of people lived in it. It didn't really belong to anybody (except maybe the castle, but they weren't possessive of it). It was pretty much the only place in Lindblum we could live. The Boss didn't want to pay for a place, so we lived here. It wasn't all that bad, considering that we at least had a place to call home.
And, as expected, I found it void of anyone when I entered.
I looked back and forth, then scratched the back of my head with a little sigh. I knew they wouldn't be here. But just seeing it made me feel helpless. That's why I put off coming here.
I walked over to one of the walls and leaned my back against it, putting my hands in my pockets. Now I just ended up wondering if they were ok. Should I even bother waiting around to see if they were? Obviously, I did care, but I was still pretty set on staying out of the band this time. I think I've finally had enough of the life that the Boss has been making us live. I didn't want to steal anymore, and I didn't want to let him get away with making me. I knew that I would always be grateful that he took me in, but I couldn't do this lifestyle anymore. There had to be something better.
And I was gonna find it.
- - - - -
Interlude
Dagger sat on her bed, a sigh of boredom escaping her lips for the fourth time in an hour. According to her Uncle, it was necessary to keep her in her room because of the lack of security in the castle. Most of the guards were preparing the city for the Festival of the Hunt, so he said it wasn't safe for her to be wandering anywhere when she couldn't be protected. So, she had to stay in her room with one guard posted outside the door.
And although she understood her Uncle's reasoning for keeping her in her room, she felt more like she was confined in it.
And when she had to sit around with nothing to do, it made her think. A lot.
But she didn't want to think right now. The only things coming into her mind were thoughts of her mother, and how everything would go when they got to talk to her. Even after all Dagger had seen going on at the castle, and seeing that she had been using Black Mages for something unknown, she still couldn't believe that the Queen might be planning a war. What purpose would her mother have for that? No matter how the Queen had been acting lately, or how much she seemed to be less caring than she used to be, Dagger still believed that her mother was still inside the Queen somewhere. Perhaps a talk with Cid would bring that part of her back, and any kind of war that was being planned for any reason would be forgotten.
But no matter how it would turn out, Dagger couldn't find out until they got there. And right now, the waiting was driving her crazy. She hated sitting around doing nothing. Whenever she didn't have any duties to attend to in Alexandria, she was at least allowed to walk around the castle and converse with the staff, or read in the library. But just sitting in one place for so long wasn't what she enjoyed.
Deciding it was better to at least stretch her legs, Dagger stood up and walked to the other side of the room, stopping in front of the window. She looked down at the city below. And wow, was she ever high up. Sure, her room in Alexandria Castle was pretty far from the streets below, but the sight of how far the streets were here almost made her feel nauseous. Not that she was afraid of heights; she just wasn't used to being up this high.
Well, staring out a window calculating how sick it made her feel felt like a waste of time. Maybe she could convince the guard outside her door that she would be fine if she just went on a short walk and promised to stay close to her room. Not very likely, but it was better than just sitting here. She turned around and walked over to the door.
As she reached it, she turned the handle and opened it a few inches. The guard outside stepped into the doorway, saluted her, and said, "Is there anything I can do for you, Princess?"
"Um…" she started. She felt so silly. She knew he wasn't at liberty to allow her out of the room when his orders were to guard the room. This was a waste of time.
Just then, another guard peeked around the corner at the end of the hall. He looked at the other guard and said, "Hey, they need your help over here."
The guard looked at Dagger momentarily, then looked at the other man and said, "Do they need it now? I can't leave my post."
The guard nodded a couple of times. "Yeah, don't worry about it. That Alexandria knight is almost done with his shift, and he's gonna come cover for you (Dagger knew they meant Steiner)."
The guard at the door nodded, then turned to Dagger and said, "Please stay in your room, Princess. Another guard will be here shortly." Dagger gave a small nod, then the guard ran down the hall, and they both disappeared around the corner. Dagger watched them go, then proceeded to shut her door.
But she stopped as she realized that there was no one here. She could leave if she wanted. She hesitated, as she knew it was reckless and might cause much worry, especially when Steiner came to guard her door. But she wasn't going to sit here all day. She'd be fine.
Feeling a slight guilt at the worry she would cause, but great relief in the freedom she was about to enjoy, she slipped out the door, shut it, and went down the hall that led to the elevator.
- - - - -
I forgot anything I was thinking about when I heard two sets of small footsteps over by the door. I turned my head, and was in time to see two little kids enter the hideout. They stopped, scanned the room, then rested their gazes on me.
I blinked. What were they doing here? They didn't look any older than six. One was a little boy with short brown hair and appeared a bit timid, and the other was a little girl with fraying red pigtails, and a curious, slightly bossy face. Well, they actually looked a little familiar, but hey, I've seen most of the people here, but it doesn't mean I can place them all.
The little boy pointed at me, his mouth upturning into a big smile. "There he is!"
And apparently, they know me too.
They both ran over to me and stopped in front of me, looking up at me with excited faces. I pushed myself away from the wall and removed my hands from my pockets. Ok… so, what do they want?
"So, how did the plan go?" the boy asked.
I blinked. "Huh?"
"Getting the Princess! You know. Princess Garnet?" the little girl said.
Then it clicked. I have seen them before. They were talking to the Boss one day, saying that they wanted adventure. Then he told them they could join Tantalus if they found him some treasure. I didn't know if he was serious or if he just said it so they would go away. I was hoping it was the latter. I hated the thought of any more kids being brought into a life of stealing. Plus, these kids apparently weren't orphans like the rest of us, so there wasn't much point.
And, the Boss must have told them about our plan because he wanted to give them a thrill and make them feel like they were part of the band. Although it was a pretty stupid idea to tell little kids something so secret, the Boss wouldn't tell anybody anything if he thought they might tell somebody.
So, I folded my arms and said, "Yep. She's at Lindblum Castle."
The two kids exchanged an elated look before looking back at me. "Cool!" the little boy said.
The girl looked around. "So, where's Baku?" She looked at me and held her palm face up at me, beaming while saying, "We brought him some treasure!"
I looked at the small item in her hand. It was a small, silver necklace pendant in the shape of sparrow wings. It was a pretty popular jewelry, but it wasn't all that cheap either. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt they could've gotten that without stealing it. The Boss probably told them it was ok to steal their treasure. If he's alive, I'm gonna kill him.
But I kept my comment to myself and didn't let my annoyance get to me, and looked at her, saying, "Well, he's not here right now, so you'll have to wait." I paused. "Where did you get that?"
I looked at the boy as he said, "We found it on the street!"
Oh. Well, that was a relief. At least they didn't steal it.
"Where is he?" the girl asked.
I wasn't about to explain, so I simply said, "He's not back yet, and I don't know when he'll be back."
"Oh," the girl said, closing her hand and letting it fall to her side. "Then we'll come back when he gets back!"
I felt like I wanted to tell them that they wouldn't enjoy joining Tantalus, but I stopped myself. The Boss wouldn't let them join. He wouldn't want to take in two small kids who still had parents. That would be considered kidnapping (Yeah, I know, he had no problem kidnapping Dagger, but that was for a friend. He wouldn't want to kidnap kids that he would have to take care of). So I wouldn't have to worry about it.
I was pulled out of my thoughts as the boy asked, "So, what's the Princess like?"
The girl beamed. "Yeah! Is she pretty?"
Well, I like this subject better. "Yeah. She's beautiful." I felt like I had to change the word 'pretty.' That just didn't do her justice. Heck, beautiful didn't even say how gorgeous she was. But I didn't feel like letting two six year olds know how gorgeous I thought she was.
The girl clasped her hands together and said, "Awww! You like her, huh?"
I shrugged my hand. "Yeah. She's my friend."
The girl giggled. I didn't know why, and I didn't ask.
"Why don't you go see her?" she asked.
"Well," I started, "I don't think the guards would be very happy to see me waltzing in there and asking to see the Princess." Sure, Cid might not have a problem with it since I met him and he knew I helped Dagger get here, but I doubt the guards knew. To them, I would just be another visitor that couldn't go anywhere near her.
But the girl looked defiant in my answer. "But you just said you were her friend! They should let friends in!"
"It's not that easy," I said. I wasn't sure if I wanted to explain, but I didn't need to, because she started talking first.
"Well, you should go say hi to her at least. She probably misses you."
They seemed to be done with their little visit, because they suddenly turned and ran toward the door, and the boy shouted before they disappeared, "Let us know when Baku gets back!"
As I watched them go, I actually started considering what they said. Although I wouldn't be allowed in to see her, I had to admit that I did really want to talk to her. It would be nice to talk to her before she left, considering that I probably wouldn't get to see her again after that. And hey, guards shouldn't be a problem; I've snuck around plenty of things. That was the one thing I was glad I learned in Tantalus. And when I left the castle, Dagger looked like she realized the same thing I did; that we couldn't see each other anymore. I was glad that she felt that way since I did too. It was nice to know that there was royalty that saw friendship in commoners.
So, I walked over to the door and walked out, deciding to go see Dagger before she had to leave.
- - - - - - - - - -
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To the reviewer 'another nameless reviewer,' I just wanted to answer your questions. About making Dagger a little more bad, I'll take it into consideration. Although I have not altered her personality much, I will think about it. Unless you mean that you want me to make her like a jerk. I'd rather not do that. And as for Eiko being annoying, I couldn't agree with you more. I do like her, but she really gets on my nerves. I have more than one idea on how I am going to change her personality a bit, but I still haven't decided. Thanks for your interest.
To 'rocketman367' I apologize for the lack of POV separation. I did separate them when I wrote it, but they didn't show up when I uploaded the document. It is now fixed.
And thank you to all the people who have reviewed and read this story. Your interest, reviews, and my desire to write this story is what is keeping me going. Please continue the reviews, and if you have questions or comments, I will either respond to them here or through a private message.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a review.
Oh, and just so you know, Canigans is what I decided to call the people that look like dogs in the game. All it says when you talk to them is 'Dog Man' and I thought it would be better to have names for the species in this story. Just so you know.
