Yay! I received some reviews! I've also noticed that there are people adding my story! Thanks! I know this chapter might seem dull and full of small talk but this is good for building, you'll get what I'm talking about in future chapters!
I don't own.
Marcus and Jen both turned their heads over to Cinna, Marcus then turned his head to Jen and asked as a wave of curiosity hit him, "Yeah, what are you doing here? And where's Zidane?"
Jen glanced to Marcus and then back to Cinna, "Well you see, it's kind of a long story. I'm here with the Princess and we're on our way to Alexandria because Princess Garnet wants to try stopping her Mother who attacked Burmecia which is where Zidane and the others went. Huh. That wasn't so long."
Just as Jen finished her sentence Steiner came walking in, he froze in his steps as he laid his eyes on the two members of Tantalus who caused him the grief of having to escort the Princess home safely, the only words he could think of at the time weren't enough to describe his hardship, "Scoundrels!!!"
Jen was startled by his elevated voice, when that knight wanted to yell, he yelled. She was sure the workers here were not use to all of the commotion that was and had been taking place.
Steiner then asked in a not so friendly tone, "Are you here to kidnap the Princess again!?"
Jen was bored by this, she walked over to a man selling catered goods, she bent down to where her eyes met some cakes, brownies and cookies that were covered by glass case, similar to the ones at a jewelry store. She pointed at a cake that appeared to be purple and covered with nuts, "What's that?"
The baker looked down to Jen, he almost seemed disgusted that she didn't even know what kind of cake that was, "It's a common dish, Crawler Cake, it's covered with chestnuts."
Jen felt chills go down her spine, "Great...more food made out of monsters...This is something I will never get used to. Why can't this place have simple foods...Like pizza." She dropped her head in sorrow and let out a sigh, she stood up and smiled down to the small baker, "Thanks anyways." Jen walked back over to the group where she noticed Dagger was already there and she appeared to be scolding Steiner.
Her thoughts were confirmed as she heard Cinna snicker to Marcus, "He's bein' scolded."
Marcus was grinning ear to ear and replied to his friend, "How embarrassing."
As he finished his comment a loud noise then startled Jen, who jumped causing Marcus to look at her, "Relax, it's just the cable car."
Jen looked over to Marcus, she felt stupid for jumping, and even stupider for being caught, her hands found their way quickly to her ears as she heard the squealing brakes of the cable car.
An attendant suddenly appeared, "The cable car to Alexandria has arrived!"
Cinna shouted to Marcus, "It's here!"
Jen said with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh really? Couldn't tell..."
Marcus who heard Jen's comment, looked over to Cinna, he felt that he had to remind his friend, "But you're goin' to Lindblum."
Jen couldn't tell if Cinna was either forgot where he was going or if he was worried about Baku getting mad that he missed the cable car, she remembered the ATE scene where Baku punched Cinna for miss the cable car. Jen let out a sigh before saying, "Cinna, you better not miss the next cable car going back to Lindblum, you don't want Baku to hurt you with his Super Tornado Tantalus Punch, now do you?"
The image of fear flooded the ugly mans face, he began trembling at the mere thought of it.
Marcus looked over to Jen, "How did you know about that punch?"
Jen noticed Dagger looking over at her as well, "Well I can't say Zidane told me..." Jen stuttered as she started her story, "I-I heard it on the streets from some random people when I was in Lindblum. Some guys in the uh Inudustrial District they were talking and Baku's name came up, and they were saying how they wouldn't want to get into a fight with Baku and one of them said something about that...punch." There was a second of silence and Jen then announced, "I'll be on the cable car if you need me!" She then made her way out of the station skipping two steps at a time as she quickly half ran down the stairs, "Keeps getting closer and closer. How many lies have I told now? This isn't me! I never lie! Well, the old me didn't lie, I guess the new me does." Jen made her way onto the cable car and sat down she let out a sigh thinking back on all of her lies, "It all started in Evil Forest I suppose. When will it stop? I guess it won't as long as I'm stuck here. I can't just tell them they are not real, that their lives have no real meaning. I would look crazy, or be considered an enemy...Then they would hate me." Jen's head lowered even further.
Marcus stepped onto the cable car, the first thing he noticed was the sad look on Jen's face, he thought even saw her cringe a little, "That's right...she looked that way before she entered the station." He walked closer and sat next to her before snapping her out of her thoughts, "Are you okay?"
Jen's head popped up, she looked over to Marcus unsure of what to say seeing how she didn't catch his words, "I'm sorry, what?"
Marcus repeated, "Are you okay? I mean...You looked sadder than the Princess did before we kidnapped her. What's up?"
Jen sighed she then said, "I'm just not feeling well, that's all. Maybe it's from all this traveling."
Lie.
Marcus looked down to the ground, "What did you do before you traveled?"
Jen thought before she answered, remembering her occupation before all of this happened, "I took care of elderly people and people who needed long term care...after being injured in battle. I also took care of my brother and on my spare time I played the piano."
Marcus let out a small laugh, "What? So you fight, take care of others, and play music, is there anything you can't do?"
Jen nodded her head, "I can't feel a thing."
Marcus raised an eyebrow, he didn't get what she was saying, "Wha-What do mean by that?"
Jen answered his question by grabbing his hand and looking at him, "You can feel my me touching you right? Well I can't feel your hand. So that's what I mean." She placed his hand down and looked away, "Sorry."
Marcus was thrown off by that, "Is that what's bothering her?" He tried to relate to the situation, "My friend Blank, he can't feel a thing either, in fact, he's probably worse off, I dunno if I can save my bro."
Jen looked back to Marcus and nodded her head, "He's trying to cheer me up by comparing my situation to Blank's, even though that's not what's bothering me. I guess I could look at it in a lighter perspective...I'm not dead, it could be worse, so I guess for now I should stop worrying about it and what happens, happens." Jen gave a light smile to Marcus.
Dagger heard the last 8 words of the conversation going on between Marcus and Jen, "...Bro?"
Marcus turned his face to Dagger, ""There's only one man I call 'Bro.' That's Blank. We've been gathering info to cure his petrification. We finally learned about an item called Supersoft that cures all forms of petrification."
Dagger asked, "What about Cinna?"
Marcus replied, "Cinna's going to the Tantalus hideout in Lindblum to tell the others."
Dagger looked down thinking on Marcus had just said, "I see..."
Marcus then stated teasingly,"I see you got rid of Zidane as soon as he got you to Lindblum, huh?"
Dagger shook her head, "How could you say that!? It's only because Zidane kept treating me like a child! I don't care about him."
Marcus shrugged, "Fine. Then I don't know anything."
Dagger felt bad for what she had just said, she did care for Zidane, she sighed thinking about Blank and how Marcus was on his way to Treno, "Say, Marcus... Um, is there any way I can help?"
Marcus turned his head back to the Princess, "Help with what?"
Dagger couldn't believe he was that dense, she told him her reasons with a feeling of guilt, "Well... I was partly responsible for what happened, so..."
Marcus declined knowing that it would be troublesome if he accepted her help, "No, thanks. We'll be fine on our own."
With that the cable car came to a sudden halt causing jerking everyone backwards or forward in their seats, Steiner shouted, "What was that!?"
Jen jumped to her feet, she knew what it was she brushed passed Marcus and was the first one out the door knocking the conductor down onto his butt.
Marcus shouted out to her, "Hey, wait!"
The conductor announced, "The rest of you please wait here while I go see what the problem is, it might just be engine trouble."
Dagger looked to Steiner, "Then why did Jen go running out there?"
Steiner shrugged, waiting for the conductor to come back in.
A scream was heard and the conductor ran back inside the cable car, "It's a demon! A demon with a pointy hat!!!"
Dagger the said out loud, "A demon with a pointy hat?" She looked to Steiner who nodded his head, they then both stood up and ran out the door.
Marcus who still sat in his seat was puzzled by all this, "What's wrong?" He stood up and ran out after them unsure of what he was getting himself into.
Jen looked to everyone as they made their way outside, "Looks like you didn't beat this thing Steiner, he's a persistent one."
Marcus was confused still, "What's going?"
The 3rd Black Waltz then said, "Mission...retrieve...princess...alive..."
Steiner unsheathed his sword, raised it and declared, "Monster! I'll finish you off this time!"
Dagger looked to Steiner, she held up her hand trying to stop him, "Wait, Steiner!" She looked to the Black Waltz, "Tell me something! Why do you want to capture me?"
The 3rd Black Waltz seemed to only be able to repeat his words like a broken record, his voice sounded scratchy and almost raspy, he was shaking badly, Jen began to wonder if he could still fly with the way he was moving, "He would probably crash into a building. I wonder if it was by chance that he found us..."
Steiner who was still being overprotective shouted, "Princess, it's too dangerous! Please stand back!"
The Black Waltz repeated himself, "Mission...retrieve...princess...alive..."
Marcus held his broad sword ready to attack the monster, he shouted to Dagger, "It's no use! It doesn't understand!"
Jen nodded her head and gripped her ronin sword she shouted to the Black Waltz, "We're taking you out for good this time!"
The 3rd Black Waltz then screeched, "Eliminate...all!"
Jen thought to herself, "Huh..It can say something else."
The 3rd Waltz then raised his staff at Steiner, he struck him pretty hard on the head, it was a good thing he had on that rusted armor to protect him. Steiner countered his attack by striking him in the shoulder. Marcus attacked his left leg, the Waltz countered with fire on Marcus and Steiner. Dagger quickly used cure on the two men fighting. Jen then ran at the creature she swung her ronin slicing at the Waltz's rib cage. Steiner attacked again aiming for the head, it seemed to do some damage. The Black Waltz then used his staff to strike Steiner. Marcus ran at the Waltz and struck him in the rib cage as well. The Waltz quickly countered with fire on Steiner and Marcus. Dagger once again used cure on the guys. Jen started to wonder why the Waltz wasn't attacking her, she figured it was her turn and ran at the Waltz who was starting to use a familiar attack. As Jen ran at the Black Waltz, he started to cast thundara, it hit her sword acting as a lightning rod as she plunged it into his heart, Jen's eyes were wide. Suddenly Jen was consumed in a bright light, the last thing she heard was her friends calling out to her in a fury of panic and worry, and the explosion that came after.
Jen opened her eyes which focused on white walls. It was strange, she recognized it it from somewhere. She slowly pulled herself up into the sitting position, she looked around at a dresser which held brushes and perfumes. She looked down to the floor, noticing the brown carpet and the purple throw rug that seemed to have some wear and tear. She suddenly realized she was in her room. Jen stood up and walked over to her door, she held the door knob for a moment wondering if she had a crazy dream, she turned the door knob and slowly made her way to the kitchen in her trailer, familiar laughter could be heard.
Jen walked over to the couch she saw Ryan slouching in a kick back manner and Josh was sitting on the floor leaning up against the green couch.
Josh turned his head around to Jen as he could see her reflection through the T.V., "It's about time you got up, we were starting to wonder if you were even alive."
Ryan looked up to Jen and said in a relaxed tone, "So are we going to set up for that garage sale or what?"
Jen blinked, unsure of what to say, she had completely forgotten about the garage sale, she felt like she had to ask, "What happened after I got home?"
Josh answered, "You were acting whiny because you had to stay over an extra hour at work and you said you were going to take a nap. You've been sleeping for 3 hrs and we still don't know what you want to sell."
Jen sighed realizing that it was in fact a dream, that events such as getting sucked into one of your favorite video games just doesn't happen, she replied in a sad tone, "Well just don't get rid of Final Fantasy 9."
Ryan sat up and looked at her in confusion, "Final Fantasy what? 9? What's that?"
Jen looked to Josh who also looked puzzled by her statement, she wasn't sure what to say or how to respond to this, "You know what it is, it's a Playstation game."
Josh asked his big sister, "Jen what are you talking about? What's a Playstation?"
Jen again blinked realizing what was going on she nodded her head and said, "That's not funny, in fact that's very mean. What were you guys doing before I came in here?"
Ryan shrugged, "I honestly don't know what you're talking about and we weren't doing anything before you came in."
Jen was starting to get mad, "What do you mean you weren't doing anything? You had to have been doing something."
Josh then said, "We weren't. You came home and went to sleep."
Ryan walked over to Jen, forcing her into a hug, "Welcome home."
"This...This isn't real. It's a dream."
Jen closed her eyes as Ryan held her, she opened them to find herself standing in a cloud of smoke, she then heard familiar cries calling out to her. She turned her head to find Marcus running over to her.
Marcus was glad to see that Jen was ok, he asked in a worried tone, "Are you alright? What happened?"
Jen smiled and shrugged, "I dunno but I'm happy I'm here."
And as always, your review could save a life, possibly this story's life!
-Huggyssupreme
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