Chapter 10: Ex-Alarm Clock

The next morning, Zidane had gone over to meet Ruby and hear about her costume scheme for his new armor. Apparently, she had been pouring over the books Baku, Blank, and Marcus had brought back all night and was as energetic as ever to begin constructing Zidane's armor.

"Anythin' in particular that ya want?" she asked?

"Nothing like what they have now..." Zidane smirked.

"Gottcha."

Ruby measures the length of his arms, his legs, his back, his tail. He stood in a spread eagle position while she circled around him as if he was some sort of exhibit.

Then she measured some more.

She would start sketching on her sketchpad, make him do some movement or measure some more, then go back and sketch. She had him bent every way he could and kept making small little sketches in her book. She had him get in different fighting stances, and then she got a training dummy and had Zidane attack it. All the while, she monitored his every movement and sketched several positions.

Ruby wanted the armor to allow as much movement as he needed. She wanted style and grace. She wanted something he would be able to wear all the time. She wanted something no one had ever seen before.

Most of all, she wanted something that screamed ZIDANE! Something that was his, purely his, and everyone would be able to tell.

Four hours later, she had a notebook full of sketched ideas and no longer had a use for Zidane.

"Ya can go now."

"It's about time!"

"Bye, bye."

"Later, Rube."

After Zidane was gone, Ruby opened the Terran books and went to work designing the perfect armor.

Zidane got back to the Palace and was greeted by the Queen.

"How did everything go?"

Zidane sighed, "Fine."

"That's nice. It's pretty late out, come inside."

Zidane didn't know why, but that simple suggestion made him want to stay outside. "Nah, I think I'll take a walk around the docks."

Queen Brahne frowned. She raised her red pearl.

"No, Zidane. I really think you should come inside..." The red pearl glittered in the moon light.

Zidane had his eyes on it as he walked away, toward the docks.

"Curses!" The Queen screamed. She stomped her foot on the stone walkway and glared in the direction the Genome had gone before storming off after him.

Why won't it work?

"Hi, Dagger!" Zidane called, running up to her.

Garnet sat on a grassy knoll overlooking the docks. She patted Zidane on the head and he purred at her.

"You're so funny!" She giggled. "How was your day?"

"Terrible," he sighed.

"Oh?" Garnet frowned. "How come?"

"Because you weren't in it." He smiled, winking.

Dagger laughed and Zidane waved his tail happily behind him.

The Queen watched from a ways back, then turned and went back into the castle.

BZZEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Nooo…

BZZEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Shut… up…

BZZEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Quit it!

BZZEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Shut up!

BZZEEEEEEEEEEE-crunch!

Zidane woke up and glared at the ex-alarm clock.

5:00 am? Who the hell wakes up at 5:00 am? What type of moron is awake at 5:00 am?

"WAKE UP! ZIDANE! TIME TO RISE AND SHINE!" Steiner sang from the other side of the door.

Zidane's face hit his pillow.

Oh yeah…

"ZIDANE? ARE YOU AWAKE?"

"GO! AWAY!"

"Ah. Hurry up and get ready, all the Knights are called to the kitchen."

"I AM NOT A KNIGHT!"

"Yes, you are."

"I AM NOT! I'M A CHEAT, A SWINDLER, A SWIFT HAND, A JETHRO, A SNEAK! I AM A THIEF! I AM NOT A KNIGHT!"

"Yes, you are."

Zidane wasn't fully sure if Steiner was agreeing with him, or saying he was a knight, or both. "Fine! The first order of my Knightly duties is to free all of the thieves. Look! There I go!"

"RISE AND SHIIIIINE!" Steiner began knocking on the door repeatedly and giving no sign that he would stop.

Zidane gracefully rolled off the bed and onto the floor with a thud.

He dragged himself to his feet and stomped toward the door.

"I may rise but I sure as hell won't shine!" He swung the door open and glared at Steiner who smiled back at him.

"Can I help you?" Zidane growled.

"Good morning!"

"… …"

"All the Knights are assembling in the kitchen. I took the liberty of setting your alarm!" Steiner stated as he marched into the room.

Zidane followed Steiner over to where the alarm clock had been, only then catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

Good. Gods…

Steiner picked up the pieces that used to resemble a clock. He glared at Zidane, who glared back.

"What did you do?"

Zidane flicked his tail, "… It woke me up. So it had to die."

"Get to the kitchen." Steiner steamed as he marched back out the door; Zidane only followed him as far as the door itself.

"WHY? I am not a Knight! Can YOU look me in the eye and say 'Zidane, you are a Knight'?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"You're a sophomoric dunce! You are an obnoxious, offensive, irritable, rude, bothersome, abhorrent, impoverished, deranged, contemptible, opaque, ignorant, disheartened, bemused, unbalanced, negligent, derelict, corrupt, wicked, delinquent! You're a cheat, you're a liar, you're a swindler! You are a thief…! Even so, I will make you a Knight. I have one week to do so."

Zidane stared at him for ten seconds straight. "Okay then… let's go."

Then they walked to the kitchen.

"Oooo, nice hair!" Lana giggled.

"Shut up or I trance." Zidane smirked, grabbing some food.

A great meal was being served. Everyone had their fill of the high carbohydrates high protein foods placed in front of them.

"It's a heart attack waiting to happen," Zidane snickered while he ate his fifth croissants covered with bacon and eggs.

Then the Knights split into groups and went to their various training sessions. Zidane, of course, was stuck with Steiner who was explaining all the duties of a Royal Guard, including all the times they practiced, where they practiced, how long, etc., and so forth. While passing the moat in front of the castle Steiner stopped and looked back at Zidane.

"You look ridiculous."

"What? Like you never get bed head?" Zidane yawned.

"You look like a fool."

"Gee, thank you."

Beatrix walked up, then, with three Lady Knights along with her. They took one look at Zidane and burst out laughing.

Zidane glared. Then, smiling, he leapt into the clear water of the mote and then jumped right back out to the astonishment of everyone watching. He shook very much like a dog would, ran his fingers through his hair, stood up, and smiled. He looked… fine; like he always did.

"Please tell me that's not all you have to do to get your hair to look like that..." Beatrix groaned.

"Yup." He stated, flicking the last bit of water off his tail.

"That's it! You're getting a haircut. Today."

"What? Why?"

"It's too raggedy."

"..." Zidane wanted to argue that, but he was having issues figuring out respectable words about liking his hair long when his usual reasoning was that haircuts cost money he didn't always have.

"Thank you General Beatrix." Steiner bowed and Beatrix and her Lady Knights marched off. Steiner looked back at Zidane.

"What? … FINE! I'll get a freaking haircut!"

"That's another thing; we need to work on the way you speak!" Steiner announced.

Zidane shook his head. "What did I get myself in to?"

Reviewers Review. And yes, I love Zidane's hair long! I only have him cut it at all because it was requested. Don't worry, it'll grow back! ;)