Chapter Four
Laura: In a dive bar in Lindblum, Blank and Marcus are drinking and laughing about how they swindled the innocent Vivi into being purchased by Baku. A man at the far end of the table, in the shadows, listens with interest. He leans forward, but his face is obscured by thick, shockingly red dreadlocks.
Amarant: How would you two like to make some REAL money...*he shows a huge bag of Gil*
Marcus: *stares at the bag in wonder...the two petty con-men have never seen so much money in their lives*
Blank: I'd LOVE to! Who do we have to knock off?
Amarant: That's not what I'm going for today. You see, I'm collecting Stupid Little Kids.
Marcus: Stupid Little Kids?
Amarant: Yeah...like the ones who don't go to school and don't listen to their parents. I'm going to take the brats to Pleasure Island!
*both con-men jump at the name*
Blank: But we can't...
Marcus: What if they....
Amarant: Oh, don't worry...they never come back to tell...AS CHILDREN! MWAHAHA!
*Blank and Marcus shy away from the mad-man*
Amarant: Get over here! You're going to help me whether you like it or not!
*****
Vivi (walking home with Zidane): I'm gonna do it right this time! I'm gonna go to school and if I'm good, I can be a real boy!
Zidane: That's the spirit! I'll race you home!
*The two start running off, when Vivi is caught by the collar by Blank*
Blank: Why hellloo, Vivi! How's the actor doing?
Vivi: I'm not an a-actor anymore! I'm going to school now.
Marcus: What, wasn't acting fun?
Vivi: Baku was awful! He locked me up and Silenced me!
Blank: *gasp* You must be a nervous wreck! And there's only one cure for that. A vacation on Pleasure Island, a land of fun and games and never-ending happiness!
Vivi: But I'm....
*The two men have grabbed Vivi by the arms and are dragging him away*
Vivi: HEEEELLLLLPPPPP!
Zidane: Oh crap! Here we go again...
*****
Laura:Vivi is taken to a coach which is on the way to Pleasure Island. On the bench next to him is a tough looking but pretty little girl with shoulder length violet hair and intense green eyes. She's wearing ratty clothes and a hat, but oddly enough has tiny white wings pinned to her jacket and a bright yellow ribbon tied into her hair. She looks over to Vivi and smiles.
Eiko: Hey what's your name?
Vivi: I'm V-Vivi Orunitier.
Eiko: I'm Eiko Carol, okay? Ever been to Pleasure Island?
Vivi: No, but---
Eiko: They say it's cool. No school, no police, nobody trying to destroy your civilization...sounds awesome! And we can do eveything we want.
Vivi: Did you---
Eiko: Plenty to eat and drink, and it's all free. This'll be the life, don't you think?
Vivi: I think that---
Eiko: Yep, this'll be great!
Laura: They continued in the coach all through the night, and took a boat onto the Island itself. When they finally arrive, Vivi finds himself in a happy but sinister looking carnival, touting free food and drink, and lots of rides and attractions. The girl Eiko, who had adopted him as her new friend, was leading him over to a place known as "The Rough House".
Eiko: C'mon, Vivi! Let's go tear the place up!
Vivi: Why!?
Eiko: Because we can! No rules, remember? Jeez, you're weird.
Vivi: O-okay...
*They enter the tent, under which is a building that kids are tearing to peices*
Eiko: *summons Madeen and the creature pounds a huge hole into the ceiling*
Eiko: WHEEEE! This is great! I finally can have some FUN with all my powers! Vivi, why don't you try! You look like a mage...
Vivi: I don't want---
Eiko: C'mon! Cast Flare or something...you've got to have a little fun...aren't you sick of being so good all the time? Just do it, It'll make you feel better...
Vivi: But if I'm not good I won't get to become a real boy! Look at me, I'm just a puppet! I have to become real and discover my true meaning in this cruel world!
Eiko:...
Eiko: Why do you want to be real? I think you're cute just the way you are. *she pecks him on the cheek and beams at him*
Vivi: *stares and blushes profusely, which is somehow visible through the shadow*
Eiko: So go on! I want to see you cast Flare!
Vivi (a bit high from the feeling of being liked): A-alright...*raises staff and casts the powerful spell, which nearly demolishes the building*
Vivi: Wow...that d-did feel good...*smiles at the delighted Eiko*
Eiko: Hehehe! Let's go!
*And the two rush off together, laughing and chatting*
Laura: Later that night, after most of the children had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, Zidane finally made his way onto Pleasure Island. He looks around, trying to find Vivi.
Zidane: VIIIVIIII-KUUUN! WHERE ARRREEE YOOOOUUU?!
*getting no response, he walks into the only building that has its lights on. Upon entering, he sees Vivi and a little girl playing pool. The little girl is smoking but Vivi looks rather sick from all the indulgences of the day and has not tried it.*
Zidane: *becomes very irritated* VIVI! I've been looking all over for you, ALL OVER! And what have you been doing? Looking for me? NO! You're doing what? PLAYING POOL! What possesed you to do this, Vivi?!
Vivi: *points in Eiko's general direction*
Zidane: Oh wait...A girl...You're doing it to impress a girl?!
Vivi: *nods* Yeah...p-pretty much.
Zidane: WOW! You're right on your way to being a real boy!
Eiko (walking over, hands on her hips): Vivi, are you talking to a grasshopper?
Zidane: I'm a CRICKET, not a grasshopper!
Vivi: He's my c-concscience. He tells me what to do and what not to do, but h-he's usually wrong. No, he's a-always wrong.
Eiko: You listen to a cricket?
Vivi: Yes, but I don't know why.
Zidane: HEY! I'm doing the best that I can! Don't you appreciate that?
Vivi: Well, let's see...so far you convinced me to nearly get kidnapped by Baku the money-crazed theatre manager, and then I actually DID get kidnapped, and I get brought here, which I KNOW is the wrong place to be!
Zidane: Ooooh, sounds like somebody doesn't think they need a conscience any more.
Vivi: I DON'T! Especially not one as bad as you!
Zidane: Fine then. I'm leaving! See how good you do on your own! *he hops off the table and walks away angrily*
Eiko: Oh, you don't need him anyway!
*****
Laura: Zidane, dejected and feeling abandoned by his best friend, walked to the gates of the park. Seeing the gates closed, he was a bit confused but he simply crawled underneath. However, the sight that greeted him on the other side brought him to a halt.
Zidane: There's... chocobos everywhere!
Laura: Being loaded onto a boat in crates were hundreds of chocobos, all screaming and clawing. The man with red hair who had lead the children to the island was sorting through the group of chocobos nearest the gate, who were oddly enough dressed in clothes.
Amarant (leaning down to face the chocobo): And what's your name?
Chocobo: KWEH! KWEH!
Amarant: Okay, this one's fine...*he rips the clothes off the poor bird and throws him into a crate. Then he moves onto the next one*
Amarant: And your name?
Chocobo: *sob* I'm Billy..I want to go hoooome!
Amarant: Damn! This one's still talking. *he throws that chocobo into a enclosure full of other still clothed, talking chocobos*
Amarant: And shut up, you stupid kids!
Zidane (horrified): KIDS!? Those chocobos...they've got to be the other naughty children! I can't believe this guy...turning kids into birds! I've got to warn Vivi!
*****
Laura: Back at the pool room, it's already too late!
Eiko: That stupid grasshopper...you should never have listened to him in the first place! "You'll never become real"...heh, what's that supposed to mean? I mean, look at me! I'm fine!
*she turns around to face him, but suddenly has sprouted yellow feathers and a beak.*
Vivi: Eiko! Hahaha! You l-look so funny! Hahaha-kweh! Kweh!
Eiko: You laughed like a chocobo!
Vivi: You look like a c-chocobo!
Eiko: I-I do?! *puts her hands to her face, and discovers the beak* AIIIIIII! *she runs around the room, becoming more and more like a chocobo as she does. Within a minute she is completely changed*
Vivi: Oh no! What's going on?!
Laura: At that moment, Zidane burst into the room.
Zidane: VIVI-KUN! All the children--They're all---They've been changed to chocobos! Oh no! Not you too, Vivi-kun!
Vivi: *frantically examines himself to discover a large yellow tail*
Vivi: We've g-got to get out of here!