Final Fantasy IX and everything related to it is Squaresoft's property.
This story was written by QualmC661.
Final Fantasy IX:
The Future of the Past
Chapter Two
The figure stopped when it realized that he was in the same room. Now shielded from the rain my a rebuilt, aluminum ceiling, the figure pulled off it's hood, and turned to Baku.
"...Zidane?"
"Wow. Someone who remembers that name," he said, in a bored tone.
"Zidane? Where have you been all these years?" Baku pulled off his own hood, still not able to see his old friend.
"I thought I said it would be best to discuss this at the bar, tomorrow."
"What? ...Why not right now? There's plenty of time, and we're alone."
"Not alone." The figure put it's hood back on. "We're never alone. Don't say a thing to a single person." It leapt backwards five feet into the air, on top of the disabled rail car. Baku took a step forward.
"What do you mean? No one ever comes here..."
"You are never alone, Baku. You will know what I mean in due time." The figure took a step backwards.
"I haven't seen you in ten years, and you're avoiding me? I'm your old friend, what's you're pro-" Then he caught himself. He remembered how much he hated Zidane, due to what he had caused. The flood of hate overcame him suddenly, and he was even surprised, himself, at the deepness and sternness which came from his own voice. "Just tell me," he asked. "Why did you do it?"
"I didn't," he answered, seeming to know what Baku was talking about. "I promise. I know these words won't mean much for anyone else, but they're absolutely true."
"There's no other person to blame but you.... Why? Why did you kill millions of innocent people? Why did you destroy the greatest nation by itself?"
"I cannot answer those questions. I've never killed an innocent person in my life. That would be the greatest burden on the rest of my life." Baku himself knew it was true, but for some reason, could not accept it as a fact. He knew Zidane wouldn't harm a fly if he had the chance. But millions of people?...
"Terigan showed me your letter eight months after the destruction. You said you would be back to talk to me..."
"...And here I am."
"But so long?"
"I told you 'Until it clears up', not a specific date. Now it has cleared up."
"He also showed me the letter you wrote to him, requesting that he attack Alexandria." Zidane fell silent. No comment was made for a minute and a half. "...Did you write it?"
There was the longest silence that seemed as a null in time to Baku. There was nothing more empty than these moments that invaded his mind. It meant that he had done it. He had heartlessly killed millions of people. Was he going to kill Baku now, too, since he knew Zidane was guilty?
"...I don't know..."
"Either you wrote it, or you didn't. I hope you haven't, but hope can't change a thing."
"It seems like...I remember writing it...but I don't remember it, either. Like I have memories of..." he stopped in mid sentence.
He wrote that letter, thought Baku. I can't believe it.
"Why did you do it?" he asked. There was no answer for a long time. "Why did you do it?" he asked louder, geting more and more frustrated.
He remembered the instant the first sword was raised in battle to the final person dead, falling to the ground. He had seen children running, screaming for their parents, struck down by the soldiers before his eyes. He had nightmares for years about the sights he saw. Even if they were given his command, he definently wouldn't have asked to torture them...would he? He had certainly changed before the marriage, though...
Then his worst nightmares had even plagued him up till now. Tantalus had broken up before the battle was even finished. All because of him. All because of...him...
His eyes were now stinging, trying to hold back the tears. Memories. Nightmares. Friends gone forever. His vision was blurred, eyes red, swollen, and glassy. He had never come this close to crying. "Zidane!!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. He was sure he had awakened someone in the city, but he didn't care anymore. "You broke them! You killed Tantalus!!!" He walked to the rail car, and with amazing strength for a man his age, pulled himself up onto the car. It was slightly tilted inside, but not really noticeable.
He could see that Zidane had already stepped back a few feet, aware that the man was angry and unpredictable. "How can you do that?" he whispered. "How can you do that!!!???" he now screamed. Baku drew his sword, and ran at him. Slashing horizontally once, he missed Zidane as the figure leapt above the blade, whizzing underneath his feet. It landed on a control panel built into the wall. Parts of glass and plastic sprayed them both for a split second.
Baku fell to his knees, tired. He had only just woken up, and fighting right now wasn't a healthy thing for him. He leaned against the sword. "...Why...why...why?" he asked, breathing hard.
"I didn't do that. Something is odd." Despite the recent attack, Zidane got on his knees also, beside the old man, putting an arm on his shoulder. "I remember writing the paper, although I didn't do it. I know."
"You know?"
"I know, somehow, like something made me forget doing it. I probably wrote it, but i definently had no intention to."
"...Ter...Terigan...have you seen him lately?"
"No, but I know where he lives. If you come with me, we can find the other Tantalus brothers."
"...You...know where they live...too?..."
"Yes," answered Zidane. "What happened with them?"
"I tried...to get them to help me rebuild the city...like we had in Lindblum.... They all looked at me like I was an idiot, and simply walked away. I never...tried to find them again."
"...Well, come with me, tomorrow, and we'll find them."
"It's not that easy," said Baku.
"Oh yeah? Why not?"
"...I'm a married man, Zidane. Things have changed. I'm no thief."
"Married? How long?"
"Nine years. Married three months after Terigan gave me the letter."
"Who is it?"
"You don't know her. Her name is Ptree."
"Yeah? Have a family?" Zidane asked.
"Yes. Three kids. Rissen, my youngest daughter, four. Another daughter, Temra, and she's six. Last one's Kcarr, my son, he's twelve."
"Fair sized family..."
"Yes. You see, I can't leave them all here. This place has changed."
"Then bring them with us." Baku was about to fight that, but thought about it.
"...I think that would work. How long will we be gone?"
"Does it matter?"
"...Not really. Anywhere's gotta be healthier for them than this place."
"Then I will come to your house tomorrow at twelve noon."
"Alright."
Barrer stood, and set his suitcase on the table. He was forty, not too old for a Burmecian, and very muscuar. "Gentlemen," said the leader, "this is Barrer Timmon, a fellow Burmecian, loyal to us for thirty years." He didn't recieve an applause, not that he expected any.
"Good morning," he began. "I have recently been informed by some contacts that you need me here with some of my equipment. Before I start, may I ask why?"
"Your purpose is to bring us your...'equipment'...for a hit." answered the leader.
"An assassination?"
"No, revenge. Revenge for what has been done to our homeland." He couldn't see the others, so he couldn't tell what they were, Burmecians, Alexandrians, citizens of Lindblum...
"Well," he said, opening the case, "I have brought many things that might interest you." He pulled out something the others couldn't yet see. "Can we cut on a light?" Light immediately flooded the room, temprorarily blinding everyone. When his eyes adjusted, the leader could see Barrer was holding a three foot long woden stick. On top was a very thin metal tube. Near the bottom end, where it pointed outwards, was a ring with a curve inside.
"What is that?" he asked.
"It is a weapon," answered Barrer. "An extremely lethal weapon called a rifle. Let me demonstrate..." He reached into his suitcase, and revealed a small, two-inch long cylinder with a blunted tip. "This is a bullet. You load it through the back..." He broke the back of the tube, and inserted the bullet, then snapped the tube back in place. "...Then you cock it." He pulled a lever on the side. "Take off safety." He pushed a button in, and it popped out the other side, red. "Aim and fire." Pointing the gun at a bird that had just landed on the window, he pulled the trigger.
The explosion and flash from the barrel was totally unexpected; everyone jumped in surprise. Barrer walked over, knelt down, and picked up the dead bird by the foot. The chest and head were completely gone, making a mess on the ground. "This is the power of a gun, a rifle. You do not point it at anything except what you want to destroy."
"Very good," said the leader, making a large grin. "Excellent. What else?" Barrer continued at his briefcase. The next thing he pulled out was a small stick with a split at the end. It was black, and had a red button on the side.
"This is called a taser." He pointed it aways from himself and everyone near him. "It uses electrical currents to stun an enemy. You cannot kill them with it, but it will make them freeze in order to use the rifle efficiently." He demonstrated. He picked up a sheet of paper, pointed the taser at it, and pushed the button. A bright spark shot from both ends, and smacked the paper. It caught on fire. Barrer dropped it on the stone floor, and stomped it out.
"This is promising," said the leader. "Do you have anything else?"
"One more thing," answered Barrer. He put everything back in, and pulled out a helmet, although it was like no helmet any of them had seen before. It was black metal, and had red and green wires poking out of the sides. Two goggles were embedded at eye height, and a button was on the side of the head. He handed it to the leader, and the leader put it on.
"What does it do?"
"Hit the button on the side of your head."
"Alright...ok, now everything's green..."
"Someone cut off the light." When it went off, they heard the leader jump.
"This is amazing..." he said. The light came back on.
"They're called night vision goggles. They are used at nighttime." He took the goggles, and shut the suitcase.
When everyone was gone except the leader and Barrer, the leader shut the dor and locked it. "That was a good show," he said. "I am truly amazed, unlike I've ever been before. Where did you get these things?"
"I am not at liberty to say. But my boss wants to talk to you himself."
"I would be glad to."
"Byt the way," said Barrer, catching the leader try to move away. "When I was showing you all this equipment, what were you planning on doing?"
"...We need these things...to kill someone." Barrer found himself unsurprised.
"Who was it? We need to know who to avoid and embrace."
"...You remember what happened in Alexandria."
"Unforgettable," said Barrer.
"We are going to kill Zidane Tribal. We have recieved word that he is back on the continent, and there is even a rumor that he is in Lindblum. There is no doubt he is as twisted as he used to be."
"Zidane Tribal?" Barrer was surprised at that. The name was vaguely memorable to him before, but now it was clear. He had even talked to the tailed-boy once. "My boss would-"
"Help us?"
"...Actually, yes. He is as much against him as you are. You know him?"
"I know both him and Zidane. Your boss and I are brothers, we believe the same things, we accept the same things."
"Brothers? I never expected that." The leader moved to the door, and opened it. "Wait," said Barrer. "What is your name?" The leader thought for a moment before answering.
"Atrogghus Bersobin, but my nickname is Nmi."
As the carriage reached a mile outside of the town, Baku began to talk. "So, what's been happening all these years?"
"We've watched how everythig's evolved into what it is now. Sad, sad place, compared to what it used to be."
"Yeah."
"...What did they say?...Tantalus, I mean."
"They all said something different. Cinna simply shook his head and walked away. Marcus said, 'There's no use in trying, this time. Once one brother falls through, we all do.' He then left. Blank...I don't even remember him leaving, just him teling me that if I ever found you again, to give you his word that he would find you before you found him."
"...What about Vivi, Freya, Quina, and Amarant?"
"Freya and Quina left together, not saying anything. Vivi just looked out into the city, and said, 'So this is what he wants it to be like.' Amarant kept cussing and throwing things. I don't think it would be a good idea to find him, Zidane, he might try to kill you."
The carriage bounced over the dirt path for several hours, silence overtaking everything except the squeaking wheels, until Baku began to talk again.
"Where are we going?"
"To find the other Tantalus memebers. I know where they live."
"Where?"
"I don't think they will do anything." Zidane looked down, thinking, then knocked on the door. It was thirty seconds before it cracked open. They couldn't see anything inside because it was too dark. The only thing they could see was a yellow ball of light...
"...Vivi?" asked Zidane. Immediately the door shut. He knocked on it again, and it opened. The yellow ball, which both Zidane and Baku determined was one of Vivi's glowing eyes, stared at them once more. "Vivi, it's us, Zidane and Baku. Let us in."
The eye disappeared, and they heard whispers in the background. Then the eye appeared again. It stayed there for a long time, and as Zidane began to talk again, he opened the door. The eyes were now gone.
Both took a step into the column, and the door immediately shut on them. They couldn't see anything. It was very cold inside, but they could smell smoke from a cigarette. "State your business," said a familiar but deeper voice.
"Blank?" asked Zidane.
"State your business," he repeated.
"Blank, it's me, Zidane. Cut on a light."
"We do not need lights to see truth." It was now colder and darker than it had been before. "We should kill you this second, but we have one question: Why did you do it?"
"I swear, Blank, I didn't do that...Where are the other guys?" The lights cut on, and they could see. Blank now had a red, short beard, and still wore the bandanna over his head. Same clothes. Marcus wore his same clothes, but long red hair stuck out from under the cloth wrapped around his head. He was also much larger than they remembered. Vivi wore a red suit much like the one they were used to, but he had grown another foot. He was at chest level with Zidane.
"It is good to see you, Zidane...", said Marcus, "...we hope."
"I did not write that letter, I promise you guys that. I had no reason to destroy Alexandria, nor Garnet. Why would we do that?"
"We don't know. We never really believed that you did it, but we were still stiunned. Hey, Baku."
"Hello," he answered. "We're trying to reform Tantalus." The others gave him the eye.
"Reform? I would, but it depends on if Zidane here is really willing to do it, too."
"I'm all for it," Zidane said.
"Then we're in."
"...Where's Cinna?" They all looked at one another. Marcus answered with a sad voice, speaking of the news itself before the words could reach Baku.
"Cinna's...dead. He died about five years ago."
"Dead? ...How?"
"The Alexandrian army hunted us down. They hurt all of us, and killed him." Zidane slumped down into the chair in disbelief.... Cinna dead. That stung him. He never really thought that much about it. "Kind of wierd how no one means much until they're gone. He's gone."
"Where-" Baku was interrupted by a quieted explosion outside. They all ran to the door, and jerked it open. They saw several men surrounding the carriage and pulling Baku's family out of the car. Baku began to run.
"No!" shouted Blank, pulling him back. "If you go, they'll definently kill them. They're rebels." Then Zidane noticed something odd about their weapons. They were long stick with metal pipes on top, and rings on the bottom.
Rifles... he thought. He had seen them years ago. They were still a new invention, but were becoming more and more common illegally. "They have guns," he said. "Those things shoot lead beads called 'bullets' faster than you can see them. When they hit, they go into your body, and disentegrate. It tears up everything it goes through. Most of the time, those kind of rifles will go all the way through." Now Tantalus feared the guns.
Baku slammed the door shut, and cursed. "What do we do!?" he shouted.
"There's nothing we can do," answered Marcus. "We have to let them take whoever was in that car."
"That's my family!"
"Doesn't change a thing. We can't do anything." Baku punched the wall, surprised that he cracked it. He hadn't done it since...
"We're Tantalus. We can do anything." Zidane stepped up beside him.
"He's right. We are all brothers, and nothing can stop that." Baku remembered it right there, ten years ago. He had said the same thing. "We help our brothers when we are in need. Well, Baku is our brother. We need to help him." Everyone stood.
He was his own brother, remembered Baku.
"Okay then," said Blank, others ready to fight like him. "What do we do?"
CONTINUED IN CHAPTER THREE