Chapter 14: A Government Big Enough to Give You Everything You Want, is Big Enough to Take Everything You Have.

ZIDANE! GET UP! YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO SLEEP IN TODAY!"

Not again… this must end.

"ZIDANE! GET UP!"

"No!"

"GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! GET-!"

"All right! All right! I'm awake!" Zidane screamed.

He jumped out of bed and let the cold water of the shower wake him up completely. Zidane got dressed in blue jeans that were darker than he traditionally wore and were instead nearly black, and a white shirt. He had a belt that actually fit, for a change, but he decided not to wear a vest today, not when he'd be changing into his armor anyway. Once done, he sighed and walked out the door. Steiner gave him a look but he just ignored the Captain Knight and walked into the kitchen, taking his place next to Lana.

"All right, everyone. This is a very important day; each and every one of you must be prepared to do the work of twenty trained Knights." Beatrix began the lecture, "Everywhere the World Rulers look I want them to see at least one guard. You must all appear busy, but having free time. Rushed, but not in a hurry, at full alert, but calm, never bored, but never anxious."

"You must act completely respectful, as if you had been trained for this since the day you were born!" Steiner joined in.

"Nice outfit." Lana whispered, "Where's your armor?"

"I decided against wearing any. Too conformist, you know? Vive la Résistance!"

"I'm supposed to meet Ruby about it later."

"Ah. I hope it's better than the junk we're wearing."

Zidane had no right to say what he was about to say, but something inside him thought he did have the authority, and his lips parted before he could think straight. "If things go as I hope, you'll have newer, much more secure armor soon."

"Good. This armor is strong, but I'd like to see this new Terran technology."

"Having a nice little chat?' Beatrix asked the two, who turned to see her standing behind them.

Zidane jumped up, grabbed a bagel and headed for the door.

"Sir Zidane—!"

"I know, I know. The World Rulers arrive in an hour, I got it Rusty…" Zidane rolled his eyes as he trotted down the hall and to the workshop.

"Mornin', Zidane."

"Morning, Ruby. Let's see what ya got."

Ruby helped Zidane snap on his new armor. A chest plate more like a metal shirt covered his sleeveless black t-shirt.

"Take off ya boots, toss em, ya never gonna need 'em again."

Zidane gave Ruby a curious look but did as he was told. Ruby had boots for him. The bottom was a new material, rubbery but hard. They gripped the ground with astonishing traction and went up to just below his knee in the same material as the chest plate. He had a very, very, very thin, nearly unnoticeable chain mail sort of covering on over his jeans, making them shimmer; Ruby guaranteed no sword could slice through the material. Zidane rolled his ankle and was surprised to find he could.

"Shouldn't the metal prevent me from moving so much?"b

"Not this stuff, it's more flexible than you'd imagin'."

Zidane would have thought that with three layers, the armor would be thick and heavy, but he barely felt the weight change, it was more… reassuring than heavy. He had new gloves, made of a combination of the tiny chain mail and the same odd material that was as strong as an oak, but bent like a blade of grass. The gloves stopped a few inches before his elbows and seemed to double back a bit to form thin cuffs.

"What? What about my arms?"

"Hold yer horses!" Ruby attached a sort of collar to his chest plate; it covered his throat completely. She snapped a thick ring around the curve of his tail. Then she smiled, finished.

"What? I'm going to be fighting vampires? What about my arms? What about a helmet?"

"Zidane. I've thought of everythin', even a weapon."

Zidane gave her a weary look. Ruby pushed a practice dummy toward him.

"Fight it; fight it like ya always would!" She instructed.

Zidane got into a fighting stance.

"Oh! By the way, Lani helped me build dat thing. Be careful."

"Wha-? Whoa!" Zidane leapt into the air to avoid the spinning blade it threw at him.

He drew his daggers from two sheaths attacked to the waist of his new armor and attacked the machine. Every movement he made, the armor adjusted for it. He swore he could have danced in it, and he barely felt it. Then the machine attacked from behind, Zidane turned and was unprepared, he raised his arms to block as the machine hit. Then stopped.

"… Ruby?"

"You'll learn how ta do it with a simple thought," she informed him.

The armor… had grown. The cuffs of his gloves unfolded making a quiet clanking sound and formed to his arms, all the way up and connected to the chest armor.

Zidane did a back flip. He tried every movement he could think of, and the armor adjusted.

"This is nifty, Ruby."

"That's not even the half of it. By the time I'm done, it'll be the best armor ever made."

"I think it already is!" Zidane said with a smile. He flicked his tail from side to side.

Ruby made a few last minute adjustments to make Zidane's armor look more like the Alexandrian Knights armor. She added a helmet that matched the other knights exactly, and then attached a cape.

"I get a cape?"

"… Tail."

"Oh, yeah..." Zidane glanced over at the clock to see he was late. "Oh no! I gotta go Ruby!"

"No ya don't! I still gotta explain how it works!"

"But, I'm late!"

"Fine. Run off with ya new armor and without any knowledge on how ta use it, kill yourself, kill otha people—."

"Okay, okay, guilt trip noticed. Show me how this stuff works."

Three hours later.

"Everything seems to be in pristine shape around here." Fratley stated. He was now one of the World Rulers and the new, ruling King of Burmecia. The last one had been found to be fairly incompetent, and Puck had shown to be too immature.

"Yes… I suppose everything looks all right... on the surface, at least." Pricilla, a World Ruler from the Outer Continent, said. The girl was nineteen, tan, with long pink hair and striking blue eyes. She dressed in a rather reveling outfit that Garnet imagined could quite possibly have been stolen from Kuja's palace... She was Empress over a newly discovered country called Shivel, and was not the nicest woman... in fact, she was a rather bitter girl. She believed that all the other World Rulers were insignificant, and below her, though no one knew why... they all adored her regardless of it, though. Well... all but one.

"Oh yes, we have straightened everything out!" Queen Brahne assured everyone.

Everyone being the World Rulers.

The World Rulers being: King Fratley from Burmecia, Regent Cid and Hilda from Lindblum. Master Vivi who was ruler of the Black Mage Village, of course. There was Duke Adam and Duchess Eve from Dali, Saint Achaicus from Esto Gaza, Saint Peter from Mount Gulug.

There was also King Talud and Queen Talula, ruler of another newly found country in the Outer Continent named Teotihuacán. Then there was King Mular from Conde Petie Queen Apalia and King Yin from Di Jun.

Toward the other side of the table stood King Chaucer and his wife Marina of Daguerreo who brought their son, a handsome boy around Zidane and Garnet's age, Prince Drake, who was the only one who didn't seem to like Pricilla… he was the last to complete the World Rulers and he was...unique, from the rest. He lounged in his chair as if he had full control over the whole room, and yet no one paid him much attention. His outfit consisted of little more than multiple shades of black, a polar to his parents in their ocean colored attire. His hair his as black as space, and his skin as pale as the silver moon at night. Garnet had never met him before, yet she noticed he paid her attention as if this were not their first encounter.

"Well, as meeting place for the World Heroes, it would have to be a magnificent place." King Chaucer agreed, quietly. The man was rarely very loud around the other world leaders, and just seemed pre-occupied with things going on in his own mind. His wife was much the same, Garnet noticed.

"Yes, of course. We must make sure that those who saved Gaia are safe and welcome..." Queen Brahne said, in a dry voice.

"Speaking of which, didn't you say that the eighth savior arrived here recently?" Empress Pricilla asked.

"Yes, just over a week ago."

"I've heard rumors that he was living here. I had hoped to meet him." King Yin said, glancing around as if trying to spot Zidane..

"I've heard rumors that he's a peasant thief." Pricilla sneered, "And has no right in the castle."

"You should be weary what you hear..." Garner hissed.

"Oh really?" Pricilla snapped, outraged at being talked back to.

Prince Drake snickered behind her and she shot him a glare to which he returned, stronger.

Pricilla turned back, "Where is he then?"

"He works here. He is out on duty." Garnet… lied, but she really hoped it was true.

"Call him." Pricilla insisted, "Call him here then. I want to see this Terran alien. I'm sure everyone is quite curious to find how the brother of the one who destroyed so much of our world behaves himself."

Most of the World leaders nodded and mumbled in some form of agreement with this. Fratley looked over at Freya who stood in a corner next to one of the Alexandrian Knights. She shook her head. This room would attack Zidane the moment he stepped his foot in the door. If he behaved like himself, like a peasant thief, they would never accept him.

Fratley sighed and looked at Garnet. With a nod, he assured her that he would try to ward off any attacks on Zidane. That he was on her side.

"Zidane! There you are!" Lana greeted Zidane as he ran up.

"Sorry, I know, I'm late."

"Oh boy, are you ever sorry. All the World Rulers are in that room! And I just heard them mention you."

Zidane swallowed hard. "Oh… I really don't want to go in there."

"Well, you have to! Just try and remember everything Steiner taught you."

Zidane gave her a look that told her he obviously had learned nothing, or hadn't paid attention long enough to learn anything. Or if he had, he didn't remember it at that exact moment.

"Oh boy…" Lana rubbed her forehead, "um… you're an actor."

"Yeah."

"Act!"

"… Just like that?"

"Yeah! Shakespeare, just like Shakespeare!" Lana said as she pushed Zidane toward the door.

"Just like… Wait! Shakespeare never acted, he wrote!"

"You know what I mean, now go!" Zidane opened the door and walked down the little hall.

"Just like Shakespeare. Just like Shakespeare… Just like Shakespeare?"

He reached the final door and put his hand on the knob.

"No one will notice me. I look just like all the other knights." He put his helmet on. "I'll go in quietly, no one will even care." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then opened the door and walked in.

To find every eye on him.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"There he is! Welcome, Sir Zidane!" Steiner greeted him.

Zidane hoped they couldn't tell how fast he was breathing.

Lana snuck up behind him. "Say something, dummy!" She whispered.

"Captain Steiner," Zidane said with a bow.

"Greetings, Zidane!" Fratley said. He could not stop himself from smiling. Neither could Regent Cid. For some reason, seeing Zidane dressed as a Knight was hilarious.

"Good day, Your Majesty, Fratley." Zidane greeted, ignoring the Regent Cid who was now laughing.

"So this is the Terran?" Pricilla said, her voice dripping with disgust.

Zidane tensed and straightened up.

"That's right, isn't it? You're the alien from Terra?" Pricilla asked, hands on hips.

Zidane looked at her piercing blue eyes. "Your Highness, I am from Gaia. I was simply… born… on Terra."

"Making you a Terran." Pricilla corrected, smugly. "Unless… were you ever registered as a citizen on Gaia? Anywhere on Gaia?"

"…" Zidane looked at Garnet.

She was biting her lip and praying the answer was yes. Hoping that the first thing that had happened to Zidane was that he was registered! If you are arrested, you're registered if no file is found on you and you're very young, if you go to one of the very few orphanages there are, you were registered… She really could not think or any place that he would go that would not have gotten him registered…

Zidane's eyes flickered as he realized he was going to have to say the wrong thing.

"… No, Your Highness, I was not. Not as far as I remember." Zidane said, looking at the ground.

If he lied about being registered, they would find out, he knew they would…and that would bring out a discussion on why he wasn't registered in a place they would be able to find, and that was past memories he wanted to keep in the past.

"Then you lied, you are a Terran," Pricilla circled her prey. "My, my… wasn't, what's his name? Mr. King, from Terra?"

"Kuja?" Zidane looked up and flinched as he fell into the trap.

He had said the name before he had thought about it. He hadn't thought about how no one called Kuja, Kuja; they called him Mr. King, the name he used while on Gaia. It made them feel less connected to him, but with Zidane using his name instead of his title… he had shown a connection.

"Yes," Pricilla readied herself. "He was from Terra and you knew him… and call him by his name."

"I…" Zidane looked around, looking for an escape.

"There are rumors that the two of you are brothers?" Pricilla pounced and then went in for the kill. "There are also rumors that you saved all the… what are they called? Genomes? From Terra. Soulless creatures meant to destroy Gaia. This conversation leads me to believe that this is true. Zidane?" Pricilla asked, ignoring his title. "Why do you call Mr. King by his name, how is it that you know it?"

Zidane stood his ground, though his instincts told him to run. His anger kept his feet welded to the floor. That… and Lana had hold of his cape.

"Everyone knew Kuja's name." He stated, taking a step into the room. "The Genomes knew it, because he fought against the reason they were all created, and they respected that aspect alone, not the destruction he caused. I saved them as Kuja destroyed Terra and you can think whatever you want about that, but the truth is that I didn't want innocent people to be killed because of what they are." He took another step in, heading straight toward Pricilla in the center of the group.

When the World Heroes had returned, they had all been shown off for everyone on Gaia to see.

Everyone knew their faces just like everyone knew Kuja's.

Freya: Proud fighter of the Burmecian army; possible match for Sir Fratley.

Amarant: Odd sort of person, Princess Eiko's new protector. Didn't he used to be a convict? Oh! That's what happened, okay, he's forgiven.

Eiko: Awwww, cute! What a sweet little girl, she's living with the Regent and his wife now, Princess Garnet's new cousin!

Steiner: Proud fighter! True Knight! Strong and brave!

Dagger: Poor soul, she's lost so much. Looks just like her mother when she was younger and not so full of evil.

Vivi: … A Black Mage! EXPLAIN! Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense. He's kind of cute, really little. We can't hate him, he's just a baby Mage!

And finally, Quina….. What the heck is that?

They hadn't seen Zidane, just been told about him. They had needed to see him.

When the World Heroes returned, not looking for praise or glory, none of them even thinking of it, they let everyone see how selfless they were—how brave… Zidane had not been there, he did not fit the 'Hero' cliché they had set up. He was different, and while the others had looked around at the people in amazement in their return, his had been a show; glory and fame… that was all they saw.

Zidane knew this, and knew the danger of his next action, but his pride and a new knowledge would not let him hide forever.

This is it. They either see me now and accept it… or they see me now, and I know my place here is gone. If this is going to work, I can't stay hidden forever.

I won't

Zidane reached up and pulled off his helmet, then looked up and at Pricilla.

Looked her dead in the eye.

Everyone who had not seen Zidane before gasped. Fratley, Regent Cid, and Hilda gasped too, because they hadn't seen his hair that way. People started whispering like they had just learned some big secret.

"He looks like Mr. King…" Was the main echo.

Zidane held still, but his smug look changed.

I didn't… think of that. As the whispers echoed Zidane felt he would give anything to be able to just disappear… never come back… change, do anything! Especially when he saw the frightened look on Garnet's face.

Prince Drake was the only one not whispering and joining in on the mass gossip and pointing. He looked at the people around the room with an annoyed yet bored expression, then back at Zidane. Then the Prince looked at Garnet.

Garnet's eyes were wide and near tears, she heard the whispers and knew Zidane could, she felt like everything she had done was falling apart and… and they were insulting her one true love… they were hurting him and there was nothing she could do about it. Prince Drake's expression softened as he watched her. He looked back at Zidane, and gave a quick smile.

"My, my." He said, louder than all the whispering but not enough to show it was intentional. People stopped and turned to look at him. "I'm not sure what the rest of you are going off about, but he looks like a cat to me."

It was true. Especially with the armor, which Ruby had made specifically to make him look like a cat.

Strong, brave… meow.

People no longer whispered that he looked like Kuja. They whispered in agreement that, yeah, he does look like a cat, or a monkey, mouse, or various other things Zidane was used to hearing.

Zidane rolled his eyes and sighed, but then realized all the people who had seconds ago been against him were now just gossiping in curious amusement, as if trying to forcefully pin him as a species they were more familiar with. The break in the slanderous conversation gave Fratley and Cid the opportunity to start talking him up, too. They mentioned the things the people in the room needed to be reminded of and the people, all but Pricilla, who was pouting, listened.

Zidane swished his tail and looked at Prince Drake to nod his thanks. The Prince nodded back and then smiled at Garnet whose eyes lit up like fireworks.

The official meeting was officially adjourned. Everyone was staying, but the business was taken care of.

Zidane trotted over to Garnet.

"Hi, Dagger!" He purred.

"Hi, Zidane!" She giggled.

Seconds later, Prince Drake joined them.

"Oh, and thank you!" Garnet said, honesty shining on her face.

"I require no thanks, Madam…" the Prince said with a bow.

Zidane noticed the word. Madam, used for those with equal birth standing; Prince Drake had raised his voice a notch when he said it. Something about that bothered Zidane, but he pushed the thought aside as Garnet motioned for them to leave.

"We should go… I mean, we're not required to be here anymore."

Prince Drake gave a nod, "You would be best to leave before Pricilla starts up again… she'd good at dragging at old conversations."

"Good plan!" Zidane urged.

"You speak like you know," Garnet noted.

"These meetings are new to Alexandria, yes, but… they are not all that new to those of us on the outer continents… We've had to deal with each other a lot and she's the worst of them all…" Drake stated.

Garnet thought about that. "Well, why not come with us? It might look better for our sake as well, then we are not separating ourselves from everyone."

"Not a bad idea…"

The two went back to Zidane's room, Prince Drake followed.

"I take it from your manner that you have not been here long?" Prince Drake asked.

"About a week." Zidane informed, "That easy to tell?"

"Attacking Empress Pricilla? Mind you, I would have loved to have done the same… it's a risky move as she tends to hold grudges."

"She's a very unpleasant woman." Garnet agreed, then she sighed. "And will be bothering us, here, until tomorrow night."

"Unless…" Zidane smirked; he looked over at the balcony. "There are ways of avoiding such people…"

Garnet watched his gaze and smiled herself. "I'm sure it would make her stay much more pleasant."

"And who would notice?" Zidane looked back at her.

"What? What are you two talking about?" Prince Drake stepped in, a look of honest confusion on his face.

"Hey Dagger, you wanna run away again?" Zidane grinned. Garnet laughed.

"More then ever!"

"Run away?" Prince Drake asked.

"When I first left Alexandria Palace, it was Zidane who rescued me, helped me escape… run away!" Garnet explained.

Drake didn't seem to understand that. "You expect to do the same now?"

"We'll be back," Zidane said while walking over to the balcony. He looked back at Garnet. "Coming?"

Garnet looked at Prince Drake. She felt guilty. If she left him where he would have to suffer, or he might be forced to tell someone where they were…

Prince Drake looked at Garnet, at her adventurous eyes, he believed she would off and disappear for the day, maybe two. He loved that though… She wouldn't be afraid to just abandon it all on a whim… an adventurous spirit.

"Drake?" Are you in there?" King Chaucer called, having walked down the hall, checking any room he could.

Drake looked very annoyed then, looking back at the door with a burning hatred. "…Yes!"

Chaucer's voice dropped. "Ah. Mi scusi... Your mother and I will be with Queen Brahne and Regent Cid if you need us."

"I assure you, I won't be needing you…" Prince Drake replied, his voice was light, but his eyes had a bite to them.

"I see..." Chaucer was quiet for a moment. "Venga con me?"

Drake always knew his father was worried about someone overhearing when he switched to Daguerreo's more ancestral language. "Chi me lo fa fare? Fuori di testa. Mi lasce in pace. I'll speak with you later."

Chaucer was a bit taken back by that, but he nodded and left, going back to the Regent and Brahne.

"You speak the old language?" Garnet was rather impressed.

"Where I am from, Madam, it is necessary to know multiple languages in order to understand the many texts and visitors to our cavernous library." Drake explained, "My father gets nervous talking around people. He would much rather be dealing with scholars than royalty, so using the old languages comforts him."

"What did he ask?"

"He asked I go with him." Drake informed, sighing. "I suppose I'll have to..."

"Come with us!" Garnet suddenly whispered.

Prince Drake looked at her, surprised, then smiled. "I... would be honored by the chance."

The Prince and the Princess ran to the balcony.

"How is it you plan on getting down?" Drake asked, curiously.

Zidane tied a rope around one of the bars in the balcony; he held the other end in his hand and wound it up a bit. Then he jumped. Garnet ran forward and looked down, Zidane was smiling up at her.

"This is how!"

Once the area of the rope he held stopped, he slid down to the end and let go, falling only five feet. He waved up at them. Garnet crawled over the balcony and grabbed the rope; she smiled at Prince Drake and then slid down to meet Zidane who caught her as she dropped.

Drake glanced around, looking for anyone who might see them. No one was around that he could see, and he had really sharp eyesight, so he pulled his legs over the balcony and stepped off, landing in a crouch before getting up, quietly.

Zidane blinked a bit at that. "That's another way to get down, I suppose. That didn't hurt?"

"Should it? It's not too terribly high off the ground." Drake pointed out, with a faint smile. "Now what?"

"Now we run!" Zidane said and then took off with Garnet.

Drake watched for a few seconds, and again looked around… his guards must be around here somewhere. He didn't want them following, so Drake made sure he wasn't going to be noticed leaving before he ran after Zidane and Garnet.

Zidane knew a short cut through the docks so they could bypass the moat, mostly. Then they ran to the poorer part of Alexandria, near the water and ran along the beach until they reached the other side of Alexandria where the wall began. Tiptoeing through she shallow water to the other side was easy, avoiding the quick sand that had formed there was not…

It was originally a pit halfway full of sand, then, when the wall was build, the pit filled with water, creating quicksand. Enough sand to keep you stuck, not enough for you to walk on.

Zidane looked around and found someone lad left a narrow board nearby, no doubt used my hikers to get across this very obstacle. He dropped the narrow board over it and walked across, followed closely by Garnet. Drake stared at the pit for a while, resisting a shudder before following them, not quite as easily. He had issued with quicksand, it appeared.

Then they ran, free, through the fields until they were far enough from the gate that they could scream and no one would hear them.

"That was amazing!" Garnet laughed.

Zidane shook his head, "This'll never work. Let's go down to the steam."

"The one under the waterfall?" Garnet asked.

Zidane nodded

Drake looked over at him, "It's a great distance, is it not? Have you wings now, or do you expect to call for an airship?"

"Nah, we'll climb down."

"You're insane, Zidane." Garnet put in, raising an eyebrow.

"Fine, you two can stay here, I'm going to the stream!" Zidane started walking toward the great waterfall of Alexandria.

The two royals look at each other for a few moments then jumped up and ranafter him.

Fratley is King now… he and Freya run Burmecia, 'cause… the old King lost the Prince… for a LONG time! … He's King… could send out a search party to save the heir to the throne… could, ya know, look or something… rather than doing, oh, what was that? Oh, yeah, NOTHING!

And ooo, mysterious new people!

Reviewers Review!