Hunter's Etude-Scherzo (Hunter's Chance) by Blak_Omen, MC and OverClocked ReMix: Video Game Music Community-
"Okay rusty! you ready!?" says Zidane, charging ahead at the "Prison Cage" plant monster whilst Steiner replies "Don't you bark at me about being ready, you baboon!" says Steiner, following up Zidane's example. The two try to outwit the Prison Cage by moving towards the sides of it, Zidane on the right from the left and Steiner on the left from the right. Striking simultaneously from above, they try to break it's grips on the surrounding trees of the open area holding it up mid-air. "Return back to the earth whence you came, you foul weed!" says Steiner, as he prepares to strike down upon two of the Prison Cage's arms. "! Steiner look out!" however, Garnet could sense that something was about to happen.
Suddenly...a fifth arm from underground strikes upwards! countering Steiner. It forces him back and causes him to fail his assault against the plant monster. "W-WHAT!?" shouts out Steiner, unbelieving at what has just occurred. "!?" Zidane on his side sees this occurrence before it happens to him too. With a sixth arm revealing itself, also underground and upwards, sending Zidane back away from the Prison Cage and it's hostage Garnet. "!? Zidane!" says Garnet out of concern. Zidane is sent back to the side of Steiner, as the former states "Gah! I get it now. This whole forest...is the "body" of that damn plant. Unless we cut the roots off, we're gonna have trouble again and again!" says Zidane, trying to think up a new plan of action.
"! Then where are the roots of the monster!? if we see it's main "body" here..." says Steiner, trying to look around and see if he could find something that would help give both him and his temporary ally an advantage. "...I'm counting six arms...and it's probably got a seventh lurking around somewhere. Right now, we can't even rescue Garnet without getting rid of this thing...! wait. It couldn't be..." says Zidane, remembering the fused Goblin and other plant monster that he fought earlier. "...Maybe. The body has become one with the Evil Forest, rather then the forest alone being it's body...heh. Look at me, thinking up strategy. This is more Blank's kind of thing...I wonder what he would do, fighting this thing?" says Zidane, contemplating how Blank would approach this battle.
"Well!? do you have any idea how to fight or not at all, monkey!?" says Steiner, starting to become annoyed and trying to rush Zidane's train of thought. "Shut up! I'm thinking my best here! !? wait. Thinking...thinking...! I "think" I've got it!" says Zidane, believed to have figured something out. "Well!? if it will help save the princess then inform me already!" says Steiner, wanting to rescue Garnet, as very quickly as possible. "...This thing has only been driving us away, right? it hasn't actually made any real, serious attempts to maim us. If it wanted, it could have done so to begin with. Therefore...my guess is that the body that's holding Garnet captive isn't really the one in control." says Zidane, saying something rather complicated. "W-What!? I don't understand!" says Steiner, as Zidane replies "Just shut it and calm down rusty, will ya!? listen. If we're going to work together to save the princess...you've got to trust me on this. I know it sounds a helluva lot confusing. But...here's my theory on how we just might beat this thing. Ready to hear it? or are you just going to stand there and be impatient?" says Zidane, trying to maintain a clear focus...on how to win.
Although slightly uncharacteristic of him, of which Zidane himself recognises. He had to take things in a proper if roundabout manner to ensure Garnet's safety lest something dramatic happens. "...This overgrown tumbleweed has fused with the surrounding forest. Because of that, I'm guessing that overtime. It's started to lose it's cognitive senses..." says Zidane, starting to formulate a plan by first explaining his theory towards Steiner. "! Cognitive senses...you mean, brain power?" says Steiner. "Yea, that's right. This thing is only acting on instinct, according...to the Evil Forest itself. Something else must be giving it commands to act upon...so. In order to issue commands, it's been sending signals to the plant monster's tentacle like arms. Those things are the real enemies we're fighting, the body keeping Garnet captive is just for show." says Zidane, causing Steiner surprise.
"! So then...the plant itself-" says Steiner, as Zidane next replies "Yup, it's just an extension of an even bigger plant based baddie elsewhere! we've got to defeat that one...if we wanna get out of here safely. In order to do that, we've got to destroy the seven tentacle like arms that the big baddie plant has been sending signals towards and in return, they have been receiving said signals." says Zidane, finishing explaining his theory. The Prison Cage overall was just a host body in truth to another creature, far more menacing. By using this empty husk of a minion, somewhat. The real enemy has been sending electric like signals towards it, in order to give out commands. The Prison Cage monster or rather shell has been responding to the aforementioned commands with the seven tentacle like arms. The arms serving, as the actual brain, more or less.
Extensions of the real threat at large, Zidane realises another thing. "...Keh, this place truly is...the "Evil Forest"." says Zidane. Realising...that the entirety of the Evil Forest was a sentient hivemind, ordering it's plant based residents to attack each and every single person that dares enters it's nesting grounds. "...Then our target hasn't really changed, just our awareness." says Steiner. "...Uh-huh. We've now gained more of a reason...to clip these roots at the source. With trimmings of course!" says Zidane, clutching his Daggers tightly, intending to resume his attack against the Prison Cage. "Ah wait!" says Steiner, trying to halt Zidane, though towards no avail. "So what if you're actually a fake!? I'm STILL going to rescue the princess! got that!? you stupid plant!" says Zidane, curling up into a ball and then using his tail once more to launch himself up into the air.
He intends to strike downwards with his X Daggers technique, hoping that this would at least slice some of the tentacle like arms in halves. "Zidane no! don't try to fight directly head on!" says Garnet, warning Zidane from behind her cage bars of the prison cage. "Sorry Garnet, I'm in motion now!" says Zidane, refusing to let up, believing that his next attack would work out. Unfortunately...optimism alone cannot guarantee victory, as Zidane both evidently and especially harshly learns in the next few seconds. The fifth and sixth arms from underground reappear, forming a defensive X shape that block away Zidane's strike and leave him wide open. "W-What the!?" says Zidane. Suddenly, he is struck straight at his torso by the hidden seventh tentacle like arm, at last unveiling itself.
Zidane feels great pain from the stab like counter of the final tentacle like arm, sent flying backwards yet again. "OOF!" shouts Zidane, as he lands in a rough manner outside the open area at the surrounding trees. "Zidane!" says Garnet, wondering if Zidane was okay or not. "Hmph, that foolish youth. Vim and vigour will only get a person so far...you must have...experience too!" says Steiner, holding his broadsword with both arms. He makes his own charge at the tentacle like arms, now on defensive standby. "Do not think I have lived this long, as a knight without learning about the arts of warfare!" says Steiner. He prepares to strike whilst pointing his broadsword at the three tentacle like arms that knocked away Zidane blocking the knight captain's way.
"A truest knight...takes his surroundings into consideration too!" with broadsword in two hands, Steiner creates a feint that confuses the tentacle like arms. Since they were the acting conscience of the Prison Cage holding Garnet in check. All Steiner has to...is distract their senses. He makes a feint by tricking the arms into thinking that he was going to attack them, when instead. He turns around, right at the moment he appeared that he was going to make his attack. Using his wits, Steiner in turn uses his sword like it was a shovel and throws dirt from the ground right at the tentacle arms. Digging into the ground and sideswiping the arms off balance, Steiner prepares to cut them all, as though they were ribbons. "Take this! and release the princess! AT-ONCE!" shouts out Steiner, wanting to seize victory at that particular moment.
…However, not even with experience of territorial warfare advantages...is enough to help. The Prison Cage lets go of the trees holding it up in mid-air and thusly, redirects all of it's arms...to pummel him senselessly. Each blow felt like a direct stab throughout parts of Steiner's rust covered armour, unable to keep up with the hits in succession, one after another. "!? N-NOOO!" screams Steiner, as he tries to reach out his hand for Garnet. "S-Steiner!" says Garnet, unable to see a loyal vassal being harmed so mercilessly. Steiner is knocked back, his sword falling out of his arms and flying right past his head. "P-Princess..." says Steiner, before losing consciousness. "Steiner! get back up! please! STEINER!" shouts out Garnet, rattling the bars...but cannot help whatsoever, much to her dire. Vivi whom has been watching the ongoing battle this whole time has merely stood in the exact same spot since it started. Paralysed with complete and utter fear, unable to find within him the courage that he was able to many times prior to stand up and help his friends.
The Black Mage instead only thought to himself "...M-Move. Move...move! stupid legs! I have to...I have to help them!" thought Vivi, his only thoughts being...that he desperately wanted to conquer his fear and help save everybody. However, things are never quite that simple when one tries to master their fear, rather then fear itself taking hold of the peoples in question that have said fears. Things seemed hopeless at this very moment in time. Steiner defeated, Garnet captured and Vivi naught able to do anything...victory had seemed lost. Yet...even so. There is always...a light to be found, in innermost darkness. Rewinding back to Zidane's perspective a few minutes earlier...we see him slightly unconscious. "...A-Aw shucks. Am I...going to be one-upped by rusty? I...I refuse...to allow that. But...my body...it's...it's not listening to a single thing I'm telling it to do. Heck...goddammit. I...I really want...to move right now. I want...to eat the pub grub of Lindblum and go skirt chasing like usual. Hanging out with my bros at Tantalus...listening to ol' Baku's tedious lectures and whatnot...sigh. This sucks...since when...did I become so noble? when...exactly did this happen, hmm? gosh. I think...I think it...only happened, just recently. Yeah...that's it. I remember now...I remember...the reason...why I'm fighting. Why I fight...and...why I...protect. Protecting others...is a source of strength. It's...also...my source of strength. Belief...believing...in others...that's why. That's why...I'm...going...to continue fighting! no matter...WHAT!" says Zidane in mental thought.
He recalls the images of those that he has known all his life and those that he has only met recent. His family and friends-Baku, Blank, Marcus, Cinna, Ruby, Zenero and Benero. Including amongst them now-Vivi and Steiner. As well...as...the one...whom he is currently fighting for. Princess Garnet...suddenly. He heard her call out Steiner's name in great worry, having been momentarily defeated by the Prison Cage. Remembering the princess' situation, including the Black Mage and the fact that he has chosen to fight alongside the captain of the Knights of Pluto. Zidane...demands more then his body can currently handle. "...Wake up. Wake up already...tch! dang-you! wake...UP! answer me! ANSWER MY CALL! ANSWER...MY...TTTTTTTRRRRRRRAAAAAAANNNNNNNCCCCCCCEEEEEEE!"
Zidane shouts out at the very top of his lungs, awakening at last. His eyes turn pink hue in colour...indicating...that. He was able to call forth...a great power. A great surge of emotions, swelling up inside him. Anger at the lack of progress he has made during this fight, having still not saved princess Garnet yet. Failing to help fight alongside Steiner properly, even though they had already made a fair agreement to do so. Also including not helping the scared young Black Mage and ease his fears at the sights in front of him. These kinds of emotions amongst others boiled in Zidane...reaching a certain point. A tremendous pink coloured surge then emits behind the trees in the direction that Zidane was sent flying. Catching both Garnet and Vivi's attention, as reappearing on the scene...was...Trance Zidane. "Alright, you damn weed. You think that you can capture and hurt others, as much as you like? you think that's fun? well, guess what? I'm. NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT! get ready. Because here comes...the Trance!" says Zidane, now at last, having fully awoken...his Trance form.
"!? Z-Zidane..." says Garnet lastly in her head, seeing the more so Monkey like transformation that Zidane has now achieved. Wondering...what would transpire with Zidane, as he is currently.
TO BE CONTINUED.
