Garnet had been captured...by a cage like plant monster! holding itself up in the centre of the open area using six tentacle like arms. It had separated both Steiner and Vivi in-between spaces of the arms themselves. Whilst keeping Garnet hostage within it's also cage like prison atop it's head. "P-PRINCESS!" shouts out Steiner, trying to reach out a hand to the captured Garnet. "S-Steiner! Vivi!" says Garnet, rattling against the bars of the plant monster's cage. "M-Ms. Garnet!" says Vivi, also trying to reach out a hand towards Garnet...unfortunately. The plant monster knocks away both Steiner's left hand and Vivi's right hand respectively, refusing to allow them in any way to help it's captive. "!? D-Damn you! you...shall pay, you foul fiend!" says Steiner, gripping his knocked away hand with a fist next. Vivi falls over and starts to tremble at the sight of the plant monster, unable to quell his fear at the sight of it and help the princess.
"On my honour, as a knight and the captain of the Knights of Pluto...I WILL vanquish you!" says Steiner, holding his broadsword in both hands, deciding to fight the plant monster in order to rescue princess Garnet. "S-Steiner no! you can't! you're still injured!" says Garnet, not wanting Steiner to make reckless decisions. "Be that, as it may princess...I cannot be swayed! I MUST fulfil my obligations!" says Steiner, refusing to heed all advice that would ask him to back away from this battle. "Steiner..." says Garnet, knowing the kind of man whom Steiner is. "...Sigh, you REALLY love to make a spectacle, don't you? in that sense. You've got the qualities of an actor too." suddenly, Steiner, Vivi and Garnet's attention are drawn elsewhere by the voice...of someone familiar.
"Sorry it took so long, your majesty. I had a bit of trouble getting here...but. Old rusty isn't the only one...that's going to save you!" walking from a nearby entrance filled with light, stepping out of the light itself...is...none other...then Zidane! "!? It's-It's-It's...it's Mr. Monkey man!" says Vivi, identifying Zidane by another name, not yet familiar enough with him to refer by his proper name. "!? Tch...it's him." says Steiner, not happy with Zidane's arrival at the scene. Garnet herself struggles to say anything at first...before then shouting out the following. "Z-Z-ZIDANE! YOU'RE ALIVE!" shouts Garnet, thankful and especially glad that Zidane had managed to survive the crash landing of the Prima Vista. "Hey, no worries. The hero never dies...and, also. The hero is the one...whom arrives last to the party!" says Zidane, drawing his Daggers.
He prepares to use them to save Garnet from the plant monster, remaining on defence at the arrival of the newcomer. "...Hey there, bucket o bolts. Guess you survived too." says Zidane...standing alongside Steiner. "!? B-Bucket o...bah, forget it. I have no time to humour your insults...just stay out of my way!" says Steiner, charging on ahead of Zidane. "W-Whoa! hey there!" says Zidane, trying to stop Steiner from acting without a plan. "DIE! YOU OVERGROWN HOUSE PLANT!" shouts out Steiner, trying to cut down one of the tentacle arms that were holding up the plant monster in mid-air. However...it then fires bullet like seeds straight at Steiner, knocking him off-balance. He trips over, unable to cover his eyes in that moment. "Ugh...well that obviously backfired. Step back and let a professional show you how it's done!" says Zidane, deciding to make up for Steiner's "mistake".
Zidane makes a straight charge of his own...only. The plant monster lowers itself towards the ground and proceeds to use one of it's four tentacle arms, swinging about the place! Zidane did not expect this change in tactics. Especially considering that it is a creature-a fiend that he and Steiner were fighting. Zidane is sent flying back by the plant monster whipping it's arm about, refusing to allow the monkey like youth to get closer and close the distance between them. "GAH! ... o-k. That only served to tick me off." says Zidane with slight annoyance, tightly clutching his Dagger in hand. The plant monster holds itself up in mid-air again in turn in the exact centre of the open area. "Fighting seperately won't work! you must work together to defeat this foe!" says Garnet, trying to advise those wanting to rescue her.
"...I will NEVER aid accomplices to your kidnapping princess! please forgive my high opinion." says Steiner, absolutely refusing to work with Zidane, even on the basis of rescuing Garnet. "...Well, it's not like I want the same either." says Zidane, sharing a somewhat similar view with Steiner. "Hmph!" the knight captain merely scoffs, readying his fighting stance. "!? You...you idiotic morons!" says Garnet, exasperated at how the two choose to fight. "Stay out of my way, monkey! I'll deal with you after!" says Steiner, declaring his intention to settle things with Zidane. "HA! the feeling's mutual bozo!" says Zidane. This time, the two charge ahead at the very same time, interrupting one and the other's coordination.
They fall over each other, as the plant monster calmly analysis the situation. "I TOLD YOU to STAY OUT of my way!" shouts out Steiner more or less, butting heads with Zidane. "ME!? YOU'RE the one wearing heavy tinplate armour that it's making you loose on your feet!" says Zidane, responding in kind towards Steiner. "Why are you constantly trying to keep me from saving the princess!?" says Steiner, as Zidane replies "I told you back at your kingdom, she wants to be free! which. Ironically enough...she's now being held captive, again!" says Zidane in great annoyance. "A-AGAIN!? don't you dare think that we were keeping the princess, as though she were locked up just like a criminal! she had all that she needed back at the castle. Until YOU had appeared and made a muck of things!" says Steiner, stating his views on what happened back at the kingdom of Alexandria.
"Like HELL! those in power only see what they WANT to see! it's because you weren't looking with all you've got...that. The princess chose to flee! what makes YOU think that you know her like I do, huh!?" says Zidane, his annoyance starting to reach a boiling point. Steiner is greatly taken aback by the monkey like youth's words...knowing, to a certain extent. That he was right...until, just then. The plant monster uses it's arms to strike at both Zidane and Steiner equally, sending them across the two sides of the open area. "!? M-Mr. Monkey man!" says Vivi, calling out towards Zidane. "Steiner!" says Garnet, calling to Steiner instead. Both Zidane and Steiner slowly but surely get back up on their feet...knowing. That they had to reach an agreement of some sorts, otherwise they would never be able to rescue Garnet.
But the two were so much both prideful and boastful in their own ways that even thinking up a way to team up appeared absolutely ludicrous to them each. "...I understand that the princess is still young, however! her mother surely knows what's best for her! and that is enough. Enough of a reason for me to escort her back towards Alexandria!" says Steiner, holding his sword in one hand. "Get real! A big old guy in a suit of armour can't see the entire world around him if he only looks through the helmet. I'M taking her to Lindblum like she wants! end of discussion!" says Zidane. Before he and Steiner could argue any further...Garnet speaks. "...YOU MEN...SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" shouts out Garnet...reaching her own boiling point.
Zidane and Steiner are both comically and greatly horrifed by Garnet's "sudden" outburst of anger. "!? P-Princess?" says Zidane, very hesitant to talk back...until earning a death stare straight from Garnet. "EEK!?" Zidane screams in genuine fear, not wanting...to test the princess' patience. "STEINER! I am NOT returning to the castle, end of discussion! ZIDANE! I am NOT some helpless damsel in distress that constantly needs saving, also end of discussion!" says Garnet, using Zidane's phrase of "end of discussion" to speak her mind in that moment. She continues to speak, saying the following. "...My father used to say. Two wholes make a greater then the sole alone. This was in relation to watching his favourite play-I Want to Be Your Canary. It means that the Character Marcus could not accomplish what he wished for...by acting by himself, always. He had to depend...on brotherhood to see him through. Don't you see...what that means? if you want to save me...then. Try doing so...by acting together instead of against one another! no harmony can be brought...from discord of opposing forces." says Garnet, deciding to now patiently wait...until Zidane and Steiner were properly ready to rescue her from the plant monster.
"...Ha. Ha HA! WOW!" says Zidane, starting to laugh. "W-What!? what's so funny you miscreant!? do you dare mock the late king's wise wisdom!? I'll make sure you-" before Steiner could continue ranting, Zidane reveals why he laughed just now. "Honestly, you really LOVE making assumptions, don't you old guy?" says Zidane. "O-O-OLD!? I'll have you know that I'm only 33!" says Steiner, stating his age. "! Really? that young? well...anyways. Before digressing...I wasn't laughing in opposition to Garnet's words. I was laughing...because I realised just how right that she is. Her words made me recall my own brotherhood...and the strength that flows from fighting, as one." says Zidane, thinking about Blank, Marcus and Cinna. The four of them fighting together. Zidane continues speaking by saying "The unity from fighting, as a team works much better in saving someone then alone by ourselves each, don't you think? listen. I know you don't like me and to be honest? I sure, as heck don't like you either." says Zidane, brutally honest.
You're Not Alone by Huskybythegeek-
"W-Wha!?" says Steiner, until Zidane finishes what he is trying to say towards the knight captain. "...But. We've got a job to succeed-saving princess Garnet. So, for now. Why don't we call it a truce? we don't need a reason to team up in order to rescue someone...right? that's all that matters." says Zidane, offering his hand to Steiner whilst the former speaks his signature mantra. Steiner has trouble deciding whether or not to accept Zidane's offer...until. "...Don't think that this changes anything between us, monkey. I have one goal and one goal only...to save princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII! nothing more and nothing less. Once we're done here...as promised, you shall be next!" says Steiner. Zidane then replies "...Wouldn't have it any other way, rusty. Hear that princess!? we're going to play nice now! just watch. We'll show this tumbleweed what it means...when opposing forces ally, as one. Against...a common enemy!" says Zidane.
Standing alongside Steiner once more, only this time...side by side. Steiner is not amused by these circumstances...but shall swallow his pride, if it means saving Garnet from the plant monster. "...Heh, that's the spirit, you two." says Garnet. Patiently awaiting for the newly formed tag team to save her...as round 2 of this fight commences!
TO BE CONTINUED.
