"...Alright! let's go, Marcus!" says Zidane, charging head on at Steiner with his daggers. The latter blocks with his broadsword against the monkey like youth's straight on assault before replying "Hmph! such a shallow ploy will not help you in this situation. Before long, the Knights of Pluto will arrive...and then? your fates shall be...SEALED!" shouts Steiner, fending off Zidane's attack and forcing him back. "D-Dang!" says Zidane, forced by Steiner's counter backwards and crashing into a background scenery prop of the stage. "My turn!" says Marcus, following up on Zidane's charge, trying to land a blow against the knight captain. "Minus...STRIKE!" Steiner uses his Minus Strike technique from the captain's prior battle against Marcus, causing him to block against it. "W-What the!? such immense force...but. There's...no strength behind this swing!" says Marcus, realising something about the sword strike that he is trying to block.
"Correct! my Minus Strike is, in half concept...a feint. However!" once Steiner puts all of his weight behind the Minus Strike, suddenly, Marcus feels a certain amount of great pain from the swing hitting his shoulder. "G-GAH!?" yells out Marcus from the hurt inflicted upon him. He too is sent back into a background scenery prop of the Prima Vista's airship stage. "My Minus Strike deals equal damage depending on one's stamina...and one's strength." says Steiner, revealing the mechanics behind how his blade technique works. "W-Wha? huh!? equal...damage?" says Zidane, slowly getting up from being knocked away a few moments ago. "I-I get it. What you're saying is...depending on the "scales" of our vitality and power being in perfect balance. You...can deal halfway damage upon our bodies both of and in equality, right?" says Marcus, stabbing his sword into the stage whilst trying to regain his posture.
"...Correct again, fiend. It all depends...on the level of skill that my opponents have...including myself, as well. Unless I train daily...the 50% percent damage success rate will become 100%...reflected on my own being. That is what it means to be a knight with truest resolve...to inflict wounds but also receive injuries in exchange too. Any man that couldn't muster that kind of composure...would be lesser." says Steiner, sharing his beliefs on what makes a man a real man. A man of "the highest grade", according to Steiner...is one whom knows to train daily and how to properly fight. But especially, above all else...when experiencing hurt. For by feeling the intensity of suffering...a man, or rather, a knight...can focus towards bettering themselves.
Understanding the reasoning behind these words, Zidane then replies "...Heh! a man of guts, glory...and honour. Guess I had you pegged all wrong, Rusty. Forgive my assumptions...but. That still doesn't mean...you can take the princess back by force!" says Zidane, making another forwards charge. "Didn't you hear what I just explained? you cannot hope to repel my Minus Strike's true force, not with a forwards blow...SUCH AS YOURS!" shouts Steiner again, blocking Zidane whilst this time only pushing him back slightly. "Ha! yeeeah, I get ya. Though still...when a person makes a decision, they want to follow through on it. And...when another person tries to interfere with that decision...a 3rd party might not be able to help themselves...but be the ones to interfere with the interferers!" says Zidane, the pink hue in his eyes from the previous battle momentarily returning...Steiner recognising this occurrence.
"!? Is he going...to activate Trance again!? but...it's...absurd! I thought...only the purest of heart can use such a transformation! Trance. According to the circulating rumours of skilled warriors outside the kingdom...it is a power achieved through the heightening of emotions. Meaning...that this thief...must have an emotion that he wishes to see fulfilled against me. Though. What is it? is it anger, hatred even? or...just the thrill of battle exciting him? … no. Regardless of all that...it matters naught. I still...have a duty that I must accomplish, no matter...the cost...and the means to achieve it!" says Steiner, as he then makes his own charge against Zidane, taking him by shocked surprise. However, before the momentarily distracted Zidane could be struck down...Marcus stands in-between! guarding against the forwards blow and protecting Zidane at the same time.
"!? M-Marc!" says Zidane, getting pushed aside by Marcus. "Keep your senses up! don't let them get dulled...in the heat of battle, Zidane!" says Marcus, trading sword swings with Steiner in a toing and froing sequence. "!? Keh! why YOU!?" says Steiner, keeping up with the repeating process, over and over. "Keep your eyes on the prize, ya rust-bucket!" says Marcus, his words greatly insulting Steiner. "...What's going on? Marc was healed already? but...how?" says Zidane. "Don't forget! I'm fighting too!" suddenly, a both green and white coloured aura surrounds Zidane's entire body, healing him! "H-Huh!? my body...my, fatigue. It's all...being healed!?" says Zidane, feeling his strength that was drained away over the last fight and the current battle returning to him. Garnet was using White Magic with her rod serving, as a magic conductor...to restore Zidane's fatigue back to full vigour.
"P-Princess! how are you-" before Zidane could ask his question, Garnet reminds him again. "Remember, Zidane...I'm fighting alongside you just the same as your friend fending off Steiner. I am not some helpless Canary...that cannot fly. You know...what I mean...by that?" says Garnet, wondering if Zidane would immediately catch onto her analogy. Of course, meeting her expectations...though surprised does Zidane nevertheless smile at the meaning of the analogy. "...Yeah, okay. I hear ya...loud and clear! "Cornelia"! though...of course. I mean...princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII!" says Zidane, using Garnet's full name...as a way to signify his trust in her. With a stern expression...for a few seconds only, Garnet smiles. Happy to know...that she has a comrade in arms. But...most importantly, that she could be trusted...to fend for herself. "...Princess. Why...why ally with these cretins!? they are enemies of Alexandria! what purpose...could they possibly SERVE that we, the military might of the kingdom cannot!?" thinks Steiner, still failing to understand why would Garnet team up with Tantalus...
"...Steiner. I know that you have a severe code of knighthood whilst displaying honest valour...and I commend you for possessing, as such. However...I cannot stay on "that side"...so long...as mother..." says Garnet, struggling to finish her thoughts, mostly because of concern involving her mother, the queen Brahne. Outside the thought, the three person duel against the captain of the Knights of Pluto continues to resume. Elsewhere onboard the airship...is seen Baku. At the cockpit and helm of the Prima Vista, as well as already out of costume...Baku begins plotting the escape away from the kingdom. Seen with him are Blank, Cinna, Zenero and Benero. Waiting to be given orders that will ensure a successful escape. "Okay fellas! you all happy with the praises you got!? cause get ready! we're about to receive a whole load of both negative feedbacks and reviews from our dear audiences! now. We're going to use all of how much the Prima Vista can take...and. Make ourselves...a GRAND getaway! BWAH HA HA HA! hmm? AAACHOOO!" sneezes Baku, his hey fever having returned.
"Oh boy, whether it's a performance or an escape...the captain ALWAYS has to take and make things in grandure." says Blank, not knowing to be impressed...or worried. "Shuddup! 1st mate! you're in charge of getting the crew onboard together! Cinna! go down to the engine room and keep it steady! Zenero and Benero! don't let the cargo we hauled fall off, you hear me? all-RIGHT you miserable excuses for "villainous criminals". You heard the captain's orders! so? GET TO IT ALREADY!" shouts Baku, saluting his men and they vice versa. "H-Hey! wait a minute! what about Zidane, Marcus and the princess!? they're still fighting that captain!" says Cinna. "They can handle themselves. If we interfere now, we'll just be stalling our route outwards to safety and then. The queen will sic all of her soldiers upon us! get going Cinna, will you!? that engine ain't gonna throw charcoal into itself!" says Baku, stating the tasks at hand that must be completed first before anything and everything else.
"!? R-Right!" says Cinna, next taking his leave right away. "...Hey, boss? Baku. You think...we'll escape?" says Blank the 1st mate of Tantalus, wanting to hear Baku's opinion about this final phase of the operation they began to kidnap princess Garnet. "...Not sure. But I do hope otherwise...I really do." says Baku, as he places their chances...on sheer luck, alone. Hearing these words however...was enough to make Blank feel convinced. Content, he leaves for his post given to him needing fulfilment. "...Boys? make sure this works. Zidane...Marcus. I'm counting on ya both..." says Baku, his thoughts going to Zidane and Marcus back at the stage. The victory of their ongoing fight ensuring that their escape will ultimately succeed. Meanwhile...Vivi and Puck are seen still at the audience front row of chairs, the only ones that have not escaped yet!
They hide under said chairs, wanting to know when this chaotic lunacy will end. "G-G-Geez! oh for pete's sake! all I wanted was to visit Alexandria for I Want to Be Your Canary. And then...THIS HAPPENS! are you some kind of bad luck magnet!? why is it trouble seems to surround you!? aw heck! I wish I didn't make you my servant-!?" says Puck...saying...the wrong words. Vivi takes these words...as to mean that...Puck would have been better off not associating with the Black Mage at all, considering him nothing but absolute trouble. Puck only realises his mistake after saying the very hurtful sounding words. "H-Hey, I didn't really mean that Vi. I just got riled up, I-!" however, Vivi no longer hides under the chairs and then backs away from Puck. "...You...don't...want me as a servant anymore? so...we're not...friends, then?" says Vivi, taking Puck's idea of calling the former a servant, as a way of meaning they were friends.
"...You're...going...to abandon me? just like...that guy in the alleyway said that you would?" says Vivi, remembering the warning from back in the castle town, concerning Puck. "Were we...just...fake friends?" says Vivi, struggling to understand the meaning behind this escalating situation. Puck then no longer hides under the chairs too in order to face Vivi and talk with him about this. "N-Now hold on a second. What guy? now listen Vivi-" before Puck could continue to speak his piece, Vivi interrupts him. "Am I...just a puppet that you saw as a toy!? am I!? a heartless, soulless puppet that could be played with and then thrown away!? well Puck!?" says Vivi, demanding an answer. His fear of the surrounding events, alongside this revelation that Puck may not be his very 1st true friend after all throws Vivi into a terrible panic attack.
Suffering from great anxiety, Vivi is now too afraid to face Puck and hear what his answer would be. The young Black Mage runs away, heading in the direction...of the Prima Vista! "!? Wait Vivi! don't go that way-!?" suddenly is Puck forcibly knocked over by Biggs and Wedge rushing past him. Ironically...this was the very manner more or less that led to both Vivi and Puck meeting earlier within the same day that this widespread mania was occurring. "Hurry! the captain needs us!" says Biggs with Wedge replying "Yeah I know, I know!" says the two knights, not seeing Puck whilst they are rushing and accidentally having knocked him over upon the ground. As for Puck himself...he starts to fall unconscious, having banged his head when hitting the floor. "N-No...Vivi...don't...don't go...that way..." says Puck, trying to reach out his hand towards Vivi...but is unable to. The rat like in appearance youth falls completely into unconsciousness...a cold wind happening simultaneously. A final zoom but in reverse shot shows Puck at the front row of audience chairs with no one else in sight...
Puck's last thoughts were...lamenting and especially regretting the choice of words that he said, offending Vivi. Meanwhile, on the balcony above the audience chairs...Brahne was complaining. "Fix THIS! Beatrix! FIX THIS NOW!" shouts out the queen, issuing a direct order to her general. "!? A-At once, your majesty!" says Beatrix, hesitantly saluting before jumping right off from the balcony, heading straight down towards the Prima Vista airship stage...which Vivi jumps aboard whilst running out of breath. "Huff...huff...huff. P-Puck...were we...really...not friends? ..." Vivi now regrets having ran away like he did, however. Before he could contemplate whether or not to go back and see Puck again did Biggs and Wedge already jump aboard the airship. "Kay! we made it! ! ? h-huh? what the?" says Biggs, noticing Vivi.
"...A kid? no, wait. A...Black Mage? what's one doing here? hey! kid! are you with the villains causing this havoc!?" says Wedge, wanting an an answer from Vivi. "Hey Wedge! don't scare the kid!" says Biggs, as Vivi was already terrified in fear of the two and then rushes off in utter fear of them. "Ah hey! wait!" says Biggs, noticing that Vivi was heading in the direction...of...the ongoing four person duel! Zidane and Marcus try to strike against Steiner together. "HAAAAAAA!" shout the two in unison, trying to break Steiner's defence. "BAH! do not try such impudence! I am...the captain of the Knights of Pluto. Such brute means...WILL NOT WORK UPON ME!" shouts out Steiner himself, showing incredible talent by holding off not one but two enemy combatants, both at the very same time!
"Keh! oy vey! he's not rusty...but actually steel!?" says Zidane, trying to make a joke to calm nerving at the situation. "Quit with the jokes Zidane! focus!" says Marcus, keeping a defensive stance against whatever Steiner might try next. "Y-Yea...you're right." says Zidane, agreeing with his Tantalus brother. He then notices Garnet was starting to run on fumes, not really being much of a fighter. "...Princess." says Zidane, wondering if Garnet could continue battling. "...Don't underestimate me. Do not...STOP me!" says Garnet, refusing to allow anymore interferences from everybody...including Zidane, most of all. "!? R-Right. This is bad...we're going to need a lot more firepower to stop rusty here." says Zidane in his head, acknowledging that Steiner's prowess wasn't just for show. "...Now then, are you done already? if so...let's end this. You don't stand a chance, not, as you currently are." says Steiner, knowing that Zidane had not yet reached an equal level of power the same, as the former himself.
"H-Heh...y-yeah. I know...you ain't...wrong there, rusty. So...maybe..." the pink hue of Trance returns to Zidane's eyes yet again before disappearing just the same. Steiner lifts up his broadsword...preparing to deal the final strike, until-"...!?" something bumps into him from behind. It was...Vivi! everyone onstage becomes immensely shocked by this "sudden" appearance of a child of all people onboard the airship! "!? W-WHAT THE!?" shouts out Zidane, horrified from this again "sudden" turn of events. "A kid!? did he lose his family from the audience and wander all the way here onto the Prima Vista!?" says Marcus, not liking the odds of the situation at all...not one bit. "!? O-Oi. What are you doing here child!?" says Steiner, seeing Vivi bump into him. Vivi tips his point hat upwards and sees Steiner's rugged face, becoming scared of it. As a result, Vivi retreated over to whom he felt exuded the most safest and protecting presence upon the ship, namely, Garnet.
"H-Huh!?" Vivi clung to Garnet, thinking that she was an actual White Mage. "P-P-Please help me! I'm scared! I don't know what's going on! I want to go home! back to Treno! please! help me nice lady!" says Vivi, truly frightened. The sight of this horrified child in terror...was enough to immensely horrify Garnet herself, sympathising and relating with Vivi's trauma of everything happening around the young Black Mage. "C-Captain! we're here!" says Biggs, Wedge following with the words-"S-Sorry we're late! captain!" says Wedge after Biggs. "...You two. ...Fine, if you two were the only ones that heeded the warning flare...then. Protect my flanks...I am going...to END this chaos for good. Once I have dealt with the thieving kidnappers, make sure to escort the princess and that child away to safety. Protect them! at the cost of your lives! UNDERSTAND!?" shouts Steiner, giving his men their orders, as Knights of Pluto.
"!? ... YES SIR!" suddenly, both Biggs and Wedge...seem reliable. Heeding the given orders they received from their captain without any signs of fear from him, as they had shown up to this point in time. "...Captain. It was our blunder that kid there got involved in this crisis of yours...please let us make up for that mistake." says Wedge, regretting scaring Vivi earlier and also accusing the young Black Mage of being involved with Tantalus. "...Very well. But absolutely don't horrify him any further, tis our job...to protect the peoples." says Steiner, reminding his soldiers of their duties, as knights. They in kind respond by nodding...fully agreeing with their captain Adelbert Steiner of the Knights of Pluto. They draw their weapons and slowly approach Zidane, Marcus, Garnet and Vivi. Intending to "rescue" the latter two from the former pair. Zidane and Marcus proceed to then stand in front of the others, trying to protect them towards the utmost of their remaining abilities left.
"...Oh great. Now we've got more hands on deck...literally." says Zidane, talking about the added numbers of Vivi, Biggs and Wedge having joined the scene. Though...not only the aforementioned three. "Steiner! what is the MEANING behind all of this!? have you gone MAD!? queen Brahne is fiercely infuriated with you! do not think that the Knights of Pluto will naught suffer for all of this! you have brought great shame to the kingdom of Alexandria." everyone was immensely shocked by whom appeared next. On the side of Tantalus...they were more so horrifed above all else. For making her entrance onto the scene, finally...was none other. Then general Beatrix...the "Rose of May" swordswoman. The greatest soldier...that the entirety of Alexandria had to offer. "...Beatrix." says Steiner, not putting up his usual argumentative front with Beatrix, considering the cirumstances.
Sword of Doubt by Enrico Deiana-da:embed id="oSvYGMaKhdk" height="315" width="560" profile="youtube"
"!? B-B-B...BEATRIX!? that mature hottie right there...is BEATRIX!? the greatest knight...in the whole kingdom!?" states Zidane, as now...the "great" escape...seemed more like a lost cause. Presented with the greatest trial and tribulation right in front of their eyes...Beatrix with a wave of her hand brushes through her hair. Crossing her arms...as she lastly says the following words "...Steiner. We shall talk about this huge mess later with the queen. Are these actors of I Want to Be Your Canary...our enemies? if so. I shall not hesitate...to CUT-THEM-DOWN." Beatrix with a mighty fierce presence, as well as aura affirms herself in front of Zidane, Marcus, Vivi and the hooded Garnet. Causing the latter three to tremble...whilst Zidane himself puts up a brave grin, knowing...that the group of three + one were about to fight...an impossibly high level, high stakes battle.
TO BE CONTINUED.
