Final Fantasy Plus
written by Shaun Garin
Chapter 1 : Start Up
I do not own Final Fantasy. If I did, I would be an extremely rich man. Squaresoft owns all charecters shown in this series.
----------------
"Regent Cid?"
Cid looked up, his heavy mustache drooping with the sweat of the effort of working personally on the Hilde Guard 2 as a frog. "Oh, Edea. Ribbit."
The Sorceress walked up to him and leaned over to look at the plans for the airship. "Everything coming
along Regent?"
Cid could only sigh. "No. As a frog, my mental capabilities are vastly dimmed. It will take more than the feeble mind of a frog to work on such a vast ship. Ribbit."
"You also seem to have something else on your mind," the woman in black remarked.
The frog nodded as best as he could. "Yes. I wonder if it was a mistake to allow Rinoa to visit her cousin, especially during such a crisis I fear is coming to the Mist Continent. If such, we may have to rely on our
SeeDs to help pull through the day."
"Things will work out." The woman patted him on the head as the frog scowled and sighed.
"I wish you wouldn't do that."
------------------
"Garnet?"
Princess Garnet turned towards the door. Standing there was her cousin, Rinoa. The similarities between the two were incredible, save that Rinoa preferred the look of a white mage, the white robe with red trim covering her body. "Oh, cousin, I did not hear you come in."
Rinoa smiled as she closed the door behind her. "I came up to see the view with you. You look like you have something on your mind. Care to tell me what's wrong?"
Garnet sighed as she turned towards the window, the other joining her. "It is about mother," the younger cousin said. "She has become so erratic as of late. Her jesters have been seen sneaking around the castle lately, and that strange man has been wandering around. I fear she is planning something terrible."
Rinoa ran a hand through Garnet's hair, feeling the silk like strands between her fingers. "I understand," the elder replied. "I've noticed it since your father died. Aunt Brahne has been rather erratic as of late, and Father was worried that I was coming here to visit for the performance." Rinoa shaded her eyes as she peered out onto the skies above Alexandria. "There. The theatre ship is on the horizon."
Garnet peered at the small rapidly moving speck and nodded. "It is a majestic ship."
"In Lindbum, you see all kinds of ships. The theatre ship is just one of the newest ones, built by both father and Baku, his old friend who runs the Tantulas Theatre Group. Come, I'm sure that your mother is waiting. It is almost supper time, and then, the play will begin shortly afterwards." Garnet nodded as the pair left the room.
-------------------
"Wow, it's so big!" commented a little girl. She was blonde, with a large red hankerchief on her head, a red bodysuit and large poofy white pants. In her hands, she carried a sketchbook and a pen.
Her equally short, and equally nervous partner was a short little boy with a pointy hat, blue coat, brown gloves and green and white striped pants with matching brown boots. His face was featureless, a black void with two glowing yellow eyes as the only indication he had a face. "There's so many people here," he said quietly. "We could get lost."
"Aw c'mon Vivi! We travelled all this way to see the play! I'm not missing out on this, c'mon!"
The girl rushed off into the crowd as the short boy called out, "Wait up Relm!"
Relm and Vivi soon entered the main section of town as the pair gazed up around the center. "Wow," Relm breathed again. "There's so many people here! It's unlike I've ever seen before!"
"We've never seen anything like this before," Vivi said, earning a sour look from his friend.
"Where's your sence of adventure Vivi?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips and pouting.
"In my other hat," Vivi said quietly, his eyes glowing with amusement.
Relm giggled as she dragged Vivi to the ticket counter and peeked inside. "Hello?"
A bird man looked out and raised his eyebrow. "Hello little miss, what can I do for you and your friend today?"
"We've got tickets to see the play today," Relm said, taking Vivi's in hand and handing it to the man who
eyed it.
"Oh no," the man replied.
"What is it?" Vivi asked.
"These are fakes! Someone gyped you!"
A stunned silence followed as the pair turned away in dejection. The man watched them go as he shook his head. "Poor kids."
A ways away, Vivi and Relm sat on the steps of a building as they watched nobles pass into the gates. "It's not fair," Relm complained. "We paid so much money for the tickets too!"
"I guess we'll have to just watch it from the rooftops," Vivi replied, equally dejected. A loud honk caught Relm's attention as she watched a tour guide lead nobles into the room. An idea started to form in her mind as she grinned.
"Hey Vivi, could you pass yourself off as a noble?"
"Huh?" Vivi watched the group mass around as he turned towards Relm who had a mischevious smile on her face. "Oh no, what are you thinking?" he asked nervously.
Relm giggled. "I have a plan." Relm quickly ducked into the nearby alley way and pulled out her sketch book. Taking her pen in hand, she quickly made a couple of sketches of intricate clothing. Vivi looked around nervously as she added color to the drawings.
"We're gonna get caught," he said.
"Oh relax Vivi!" Relm said with a pout. "We're gonna do just fine! The guards don't check tickets that the nobles have, it's just for the common folk. Now, if I add this... and this... perfect!" Relm started chanting inaudibly and with a flash, the pair were clothed in elaborate nobel outfits, Relm in a full skirted red and pink dress, Vivi in a very elaborate outfit of royal blue, his old floppy hat adorned with a dashing long red feather in it. "There! Now we can sneak into the palace without being caught!" She giggled.
Vivi sighed.
------------------
"Squall? Squall Leonhart, what are you doing here?"
Squall looked up from the card game he was having with one of the Knights of Pluto at the sound of Rinoa's voice. "Lady Rinoa," he replied, bowing.
Rinoa sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Squall, did father send you here? You know I can take care of
myself now."
"Regent Cid wishes for your safety," Squall replied curtly. "I'm just doing my job as one of Lindbum's SeeDs."
"Hey girl!" Came a loud voice. Rinoa turned to see Zell walking out, a grin plastered over his face. She sighed.
"Zell Dincht, you're here too?" the girl said, feeling the urge to bury her face in her hand.
"Yeah, me, Squall and Selphie. Didn't your dad tell you we were coming here to keep you company?" Zell asked, scratching his head.
Rinoa let out a long breath. "Great Hyne," she muttered.
With a rustling of a full skirt, Garnet decended the stairs, a questioning look on her face. "Rinoa," she asked softly, "who are these people?"
Rinoa sighed again as she indicated the pair. "These are my fathers top SeeDs, from Lindbum. He sent them here to watch over me."
With an audible clanking, a large robust man ran in. He was dressed from head to toe in large plated armor, a sword strapped to his back. Rust stained most of his armor and squeaked every so often. "Princess Garnet!" Steiner, head of the Knights of Pluto called out, "Your mother requests that you and Lady Rinoa attend the play as soon as possible!" He then turned towards the Knight who was still playing against Squall and jumped up and down in frustration. "YOU! Get back to your post!"
"Y-yes sir!" The man hurridly abandoned his game as Squall scooped up his own cards and stood up.
Zell blinked and then grinned. "Hey Rusty, how's it going?"
"My name is not RUSTY!" Steiner shouted, glaring at Zell. "Who let commoners in here?"
"Steiner," Garnet said, a warning tone in her voice. "Please, that will be enough. They are from Lindbum,
two of Regent Cid's SeeDs."
Steiner blinked and then bowed. "I am sorry princess for my lack of control. Please, feel free to wander the palace honored guests." With that, he turned away, jogging up the stairs towards the seating area where
Queen Brahne stood.
"Same as ever I see," Squall remarked as he folded his arms.
"He hasn't changed much, has he cousin?" Rinoa said, earning a blush and nod from the slightly shorter girl.
"Yes, Captain Steiner has always been....."
"A blockhead?" Zell put in helpfully.
"... excitable," Garnet finished.
Just then, a young girl in a yellow dress ran up, carrying a pair of nunchucks over her shoulders. "Hey!" She called out. "Someone give me a hand? We're guiding the Theatre Ship in now!"
"I'll go," Zell replied, following the other girl. "You guys keep cool, okay?"
"Keep... cool?" Garnet echoed, mystified at the casual language that the blonde SeeD used.
"Don't worry, he grows on you," Rinoa said with a smile.
-------------------
"Name?"
"Um.... Lord and Lady Baghell...."
"Place of Origin?"
"Treno."
"Please enter."
Relm and Vivi exchanged glances at each other as the pair wandered into the castle towards the seating area. "I thought we were caught for sure," Vivi whispered to the girl.
"Shh, you'll jynx our good luck," Relm said, keeping her posture straight and eyes forward.
The pair followed the line of nobles towards the seating area when Vivi made a face. It was a hard thing to see since his face was void of features, but it was a face nonetheless. "Oh no..." "What is it?" she asked.
"I need to find a bathroom."
Relm sighed as she tried hard not to slap her forehead. "Okay, but hurry up, okay?" Vivi nodded as he broke from the group in search of the lavatory.
-----------------
"Man, there sure are a lot of people out there tonight," Blank remarked, his one eye uncovered by his large
belt like bandana peering out from atop the musicians stage. "Gonna be a shame if we don't get the Princess
out of there without causing a ruckus."
"The show must go on," Cinna remarked with a half grin on his grizzled face. "Is Marcus ready? He's got
most of the stage time as is."
"Aw don't worry about him," Blank said, tossing a stray lock of hair that fell over his face. "me and Zidane have the hard part, getting Princess Garnet out of there."
"What about Princess Rinoa?" Cinna asked as a thought came to him. "She's in there too."
"She's got Leonhart and his SeeD friends with him. She'll be fine." Blank snorted. "I don't care for
SeeDs, but they get the job done." Cinna nodded as a large shadow loomed over them.
"What are you two doing?" Baku demanded gruffly. "We need to get the stage set up! Get moving you
slowpokes!"
The pair yelped as they dashed around Baku. The large man with a snout, fur and long ears rolled his eyes under his flight goggles before following the pair to urge the rest of the group to work.
------------------
Zidane checked the false prop sword again. And again. Marcus rolled his eyes as he turned towards the monkey tailed teen and said, "It's not gonna fall apart during the fight scene Zidane."
"I know that, I just feel a bit edgy today," Zidane replied, checking the blade's shine again.
Marcus rolled his eyes and huffed. "What's with you Zidane? You're jumping at shadows since we left Lindbum. It's not like you to get edgy over a performance."
"I dunno.... I know the Regent has good intentions of kidnapping Princess Garnet, but there's something that's been bothering me. If he just wants Garnet out of there, then why did he allow Rinoa to go and then send SeeD's to protect her?"
Marcus blinked in surprise. "You know, that IS a very good question. Maybe Cid's got something up his sleeve."
"Maybe." Zidane sighed as he checked the blade again, and then sheathed it in a scabbard at his side.
"Twenty minutes to showtime. You nervous?"
"Petrified," came the response. "Lets do it."
Zidane grinned as he and Marcus left the ship in search for something to take their minds off the performance.
-----------------
Authors notes : I cleaned up the grammar and formatting of this story. gotta hate it at times.
Next : Final Fantasy Plus Episode 2 : The Show Must Go On - When Zidane and Blank stage their kidnapping, they run into an old member of Tantulas who could be trouble.
written by Shaun Garin
Chapter 1 : Start Up
I do not own Final Fantasy. If I did, I would be an extremely rich man. Squaresoft owns all charecters shown in this series.
----------------
"Regent Cid?"
Cid looked up, his heavy mustache drooping with the sweat of the effort of working personally on the Hilde Guard 2 as a frog. "Oh, Edea. Ribbit."
The Sorceress walked up to him and leaned over to look at the plans for the airship. "Everything coming
along Regent?"
Cid could only sigh. "No. As a frog, my mental capabilities are vastly dimmed. It will take more than the feeble mind of a frog to work on such a vast ship. Ribbit."
"You also seem to have something else on your mind," the woman in black remarked.
The frog nodded as best as he could. "Yes. I wonder if it was a mistake to allow Rinoa to visit her cousin, especially during such a crisis I fear is coming to the Mist Continent. If such, we may have to rely on our
SeeDs to help pull through the day."
"Things will work out." The woman patted him on the head as the frog scowled and sighed.
"I wish you wouldn't do that."
------------------
"Garnet?"
Princess Garnet turned towards the door. Standing there was her cousin, Rinoa. The similarities between the two were incredible, save that Rinoa preferred the look of a white mage, the white robe with red trim covering her body. "Oh, cousin, I did not hear you come in."
Rinoa smiled as she closed the door behind her. "I came up to see the view with you. You look like you have something on your mind. Care to tell me what's wrong?"
Garnet sighed as she turned towards the window, the other joining her. "It is about mother," the younger cousin said. "She has become so erratic as of late. Her jesters have been seen sneaking around the castle lately, and that strange man has been wandering around. I fear she is planning something terrible."
Rinoa ran a hand through Garnet's hair, feeling the silk like strands between her fingers. "I understand," the elder replied. "I've noticed it since your father died. Aunt Brahne has been rather erratic as of late, and Father was worried that I was coming here to visit for the performance." Rinoa shaded her eyes as she peered out onto the skies above Alexandria. "There. The theatre ship is on the horizon."
Garnet peered at the small rapidly moving speck and nodded. "It is a majestic ship."
"In Lindbum, you see all kinds of ships. The theatre ship is just one of the newest ones, built by both father and Baku, his old friend who runs the Tantulas Theatre Group. Come, I'm sure that your mother is waiting. It is almost supper time, and then, the play will begin shortly afterwards." Garnet nodded as the pair left the room.
-------------------
"Wow, it's so big!" commented a little girl. She was blonde, with a large red hankerchief on her head, a red bodysuit and large poofy white pants. In her hands, she carried a sketchbook and a pen.
Her equally short, and equally nervous partner was a short little boy with a pointy hat, blue coat, brown gloves and green and white striped pants with matching brown boots. His face was featureless, a black void with two glowing yellow eyes as the only indication he had a face. "There's so many people here," he said quietly. "We could get lost."
"Aw c'mon Vivi! We travelled all this way to see the play! I'm not missing out on this, c'mon!"
The girl rushed off into the crowd as the short boy called out, "Wait up Relm!"
Relm and Vivi soon entered the main section of town as the pair gazed up around the center. "Wow," Relm breathed again. "There's so many people here! It's unlike I've ever seen before!"
"We've never seen anything like this before," Vivi said, earning a sour look from his friend.
"Where's your sence of adventure Vivi?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips and pouting.
"In my other hat," Vivi said quietly, his eyes glowing with amusement.
Relm giggled as she dragged Vivi to the ticket counter and peeked inside. "Hello?"
A bird man looked out and raised his eyebrow. "Hello little miss, what can I do for you and your friend today?"
"We've got tickets to see the play today," Relm said, taking Vivi's in hand and handing it to the man who
eyed it.
"Oh no," the man replied.
"What is it?" Vivi asked.
"These are fakes! Someone gyped you!"
A stunned silence followed as the pair turned away in dejection. The man watched them go as he shook his head. "Poor kids."
A ways away, Vivi and Relm sat on the steps of a building as they watched nobles pass into the gates. "It's not fair," Relm complained. "We paid so much money for the tickets too!"
"I guess we'll have to just watch it from the rooftops," Vivi replied, equally dejected. A loud honk caught Relm's attention as she watched a tour guide lead nobles into the room. An idea started to form in her mind as she grinned.
"Hey Vivi, could you pass yourself off as a noble?"
"Huh?" Vivi watched the group mass around as he turned towards Relm who had a mischevious smile on her face. "Oh no, what are you thinking?" he asked nervously.
Relm giggled. "I have a plan." Relm quickly ducked into the nearby alley way and pulled out her sketch book. Taking her pen in hand, she quickly made a couple of sketches of intricate clothing. Vivi looked around nervously as she added color to the drawings.
"We're gonna get caught," he said.
"Oh relax Vivi!" Relm said with a pout. "We're gonna do just fine! The guards don't check tickets that the nobles have, it's just for the common folk. Now, if I add this... and this... perfect!" Relm started chanting inaudibly and with a flash, the pair were clothed in elaborate nobel outfits, Relm in a full skirted red and pink dress, Vivi in a very elaborate outfit of royal blue, his old floppy hat adorned with a dashing long red feather in it. "There! Now we can sneak into the palace without being caught!" She giggled.
Vivi sighed.
------------------
"Squall? Squall Leonhart, what are you doing here?"
Squall looked up from the card game he was having with one of the Knights of Pluto at the sound of Rinoa's voice. "Lady Rinoa," he replied, bowing.
Rinoa sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Squall, did father send you here? You know I can take care of
myself now."
"Regent Cid wishes for your safety," Squall replied curtly. "I'm just doing my job as one of Lindbum's SeeDs."
"Hey girl!" Came a loud voice. Rinoa turned to see Zell walking out, a grin plastered over his face. She sighed.
"Zell Dincht, you're here too?" the girl said, feeling the urge to bury her face in her hand.
"Yeah, me, Squall and Selphie. Didn't your dad tell you we were coming here to keep you company?" Zell asked, scratching his head.
Rinoa let out a long breath. "Great Hyne," she muttered.
With a rustling of a full skirt, Garnet decended the stairs, a questioning look on her face. "Rinoa," she asked softly, "who are these people?"
Rinoa sighed again as she indicated the pair. "These are my fathers top SeeDs, from Lindbum. He sent them here to watch over me."
With an audible clanking, a large robust man ran in. He was dressed from head to toe in large plated armor, a sword strapped to his back. Rust stained most of his armor and squeaked every so often. "Princess Garnet!" Steiner, head of the Knights of Pluto called out, "Your mother requests that you and Lady Rinoa attend the play as soon as possible!" He then turned towards the Knight who was still playing against Squall and jumped up and down in frustration. "YOU! Get back to your post!"
"Y-yes sir!" The man hurridly abandoned his game as Squall scooped up his own cards and stood up.
Zell blinked and then grinned. "Hey Rusty, how's it going?"
"My name is not RUSTY!" Steiner shouted, glaring at Zell. "Who let commoners in here?"
"Steiner," Garnet said, a warning tone in her voice. "Please, that will be enough. They are from Lindbum,
two of Regent Cid's SeeDs."
Steiner blinked and then bowed. "I am sorry princess for my lack of control. Please, feel free to wander the palace honored guests." With that, he turned away, jogging up the stairs towards the seating area where
Queen Brahne stood.
"Same as ever I see," Squall remarked as he folded his arms.
"He hasn't changed much, has he cousin?" Rinoa said, earning a blush and nod from the slightly shorter girl.
"Yes, Captain Steiner has always been....."
"A blockhead?" Zell put in helpfully.
"... excitable," Garnet finished.
Just then, a young girl in a yellow dress ran up, carrying a pair of nunchucks over her shoulders. "Hey!" She called out. "Someone give me a hand? We're guiding the Theatre Ship in now!"
"I'll go," Zell replied, following the other girl. "You guys keep cool, okay?"
"Keep... cool?" Garnet echoed, mystified at the casual language that the blonde SeeD used.
"Don't worry, he grows on you," Rinoa said with a smile.
-------------------
"Name?"
"Um.... Lord and Lady Baghell...."
"Place of Origin?"
"Treno."
"Please enter."
Relm and Vivi exchanged glances at each other as the pair wandered into the castle towards the seating area. "I thought we were caught for sure," Vivi whispered to the girl.
"Shh, you'll jynx our good luck," Relm said, keeping her posture straight and eyes forward.
The pair followed the line of nobles towards the seating area when Vivi made a face. It was a hard thing to see since his face was void of features, but it was a face nonetheless. "Oh no..." "What is it?" she asked.
"I need to find a bathroom."
Relm sighed as she tried hard not to slap her forehead. "Okay, but hurry up, okay?" Vivi nodded as he broke from the group in search of the lavatory.
-----------------
"Man, there sure are a lot of people out there tonight," Blank remarked, his one eye uncovered by his large
belt like bandana peering out from atop the musicians stage. "Gonna be a shame if we don't get the Princess
out of there without causing a ruckus."
"The show must go on," Cinna remarked with a half grin on his grizzled face. "Is Marcus ready? He's got
most of the stage time as is."
"Aw don't worry about him," Blank said, tossing a stray lock of hair that fell over his face. "me and Zidane have the hard part, getting Princess Garnet out of there."
"What about Princess Rinoa?" Cinna asked as a thought came to him. "She's in there too."
"She's got Leonhart and his SeeD friends with him. She'll be fine." Blank snorted. "I don't care for
SeeDs, but they get the job done." Cinna nodded as a large shadow loomed over them.
"What are you two doing?" Baku demanded gruffly. "We need to get the stage set up! Get moving you
slowpokes!"
The pair yelped as they dashed around Baku. The large man with a snout, fur and long ears rolled his eyes under his flight goggles before following the pair to urge the rest of the group to work.
------------------
Zidane checked the false prop sword again. And again. Marcus rolled his eyes as he turned towards the monkey tailed teen and said, "It's not gonna fall apart during the fight scene Zidane."
"I know that, I just feel a bit edgy today," Zidane replied, checking the blade's shine again.
Marcus rolled his eyes and huffed. "What's with you Zidane? You're jumping at shadows since we left Lindbum. It's not like you to get edgy over a performance."
"I dunno.... I know the Regent has good intentions of kidnapping Princess Garnet, but there's something that's been bothering me. If he just wants Garnet out of there, then why did he allow Rinoa to go and then send SeeD's to protect her?"
Marcus blinked in surprise. "You know, that IS a very good question. Maybe Cid's got something up his sleeve."
"Maybe." Zidane sighed as he checked the blade again, and then sheathed it in a scabbard at his side.
"Twenty minutes to showtime. You nervous?"
"Petrified," came the response. "Lets do it."
Zidane grinned as he and Marcus left the ship in search for something to take their minds off the performance.
-----------------
Authors notes : I cleaned up the grammar and formatting of this story. gotta hate it at times.
Next : Final Fantasy Plus Episode 2 : The Show Must Go On - When Zidane and Blank stage their kidnapping, they run into an old member of Tantulas who could be trouble.