Chapter 23: The Evolution; Enter Zidane
The small gelnika airplane flew over the ocean in the early morning light. The eastern world was still in sight behind it. The whirling of the many propellers created a constant humming sound. The ocean below it rose and fell gently with every wave.
"It seems to quiet. You'd think with the world in its current position, EON would be making lots of noise." The pilot said to President Reeve, who was sitting in the passenger area. Reeve sighed and looked up.
"I think a press conference is in order. The disappearance of AVALANCHE and the loss of the eastern world is too much for the people. They need comfort."
The pilot turned back towards the windshield. Something was sticking out of the water in the distance, and was rising in the air rapidly. It appeared first something similar to a giant tree root, but then large metallic rods started growing out of it. A loud roar was heard. The root started curling in the air as if attempting to make a net for the plane. "SHIT!" The pilot screamed. He pulled on the steering mechanism, causing the gelnika to fly straight up. Reeve fell out of his chair and tumbled to the back of the plane. The roots had plants growing on them, moss like plants with small twig like trees and shrubs, surrounding the metallic rods that measured hundreds of feet tall and at least fifty feet wide. More roots grew out of the ocean, so many and so fast a forest was forming over the ocean on these large roots. The gelnika made several turns and quick attempts to avoid being crushed and crash into a root. A long, whale like song, came out of the roots. The pilot was sweating crazily and shaking all over. The gelnika turned right side and flew towards a small opening in the "forest". Suddenly a large root came from above and cut it off. Attempting to save the plane, the pilot turned up and hit the tops of the trees growing on the roots. The gelnika shook all over and lost a wing to a branch. The gelnika started to descend, breaking several branches in its path. It finally got lodged in a large tree branch. Smoke rose from the damaged plane.
The door on the side suddenly jolted and fell out. Reeve, in his blue uniform, stumbled out. The whale like song continued to echo through out the ever-growing forest. Huge trees grew out of the roots and small ferns carpeted the roots. Mechanical oddities grew also, making this a realm of nature and technology. Reeve fell on his wounded leg. "What…is this?" Reeve looked down at his foot. He wasn't standing on dirt or any kind of root at all. It was soft and sticky. And tiny capillaries and blood vessels ran throughout it. It was a dark pink, almost purple. Reeve placed his hand on the odd root. It was warm and it had a pulse. He lifted his hand up to see that it was coated in blood. Reeve gasped and got up. But before doing so, inspected a small green fern leaf. Small vessels ran throughout it. "This whole forest…is one living creature…"
Reeve walked over to where the pilot was. The cockpit was smashed against a tree that had the same feel as the ground. The haunting sound continued echoing throughout the dense living forest.
"Jim? Jim? Are you alright?" Reeve shouted as he rummaged through the debris. Reeve caught a glimpse of a bloody hand. He jumped over to where it was and frantically dug through the wreck.
"JIM! SPEAK TO ME!" Reeve shouted. Jim, the pilot, did not answer. The crippled body remained silent. Reeve stopped and backed off. A large, robotic insect buzzed by. EON was evolving…
Reeve walked down the soft path, looking for something, he just didn't know what. He gripped his Cait Sith communicator tightly.
Above Reeve, above the forest, and above the clouds, EON rose. It's haunting song grew louder as it grew out of the water. It formed a mushroom like structure. The canopy was completely mechanic and industrial, while the stalk was pink and fleshy. The red eye opened on the top.
** *
Zidane paced back and forth in a tavern. Behind him, at a table, were his friends from Tantalus, Baku and Cinna. Other people were in the dimly lit tavern as well, but they paid no attention to Zidane.
"Man, what should I do? What should I say?" Zidane kept asking himself questions.
"Gwahahaha! Look at yourself Zidane!" Baku, a large hairy man with goggles on, said. "You've become a real mess!"
Zidane looked up at him, placed his hands on his hips, and stopped pacing. "If you were going to ask a girl to marry you, what would you say?! This is a serious matter!"
"Zidane. Nothing has ever been serious to you. So why get so worked up about this?" Cinna asked him.
"What if she says no. Then what will I do! I've been dating Dagger for two years!" Zidane sat down at the table.
"Gwahahaha! A better question would be what will you do if she says yes. I've had lots of women ask me, even beg me, to marry them." Baku said as he drank some ale.
"Suuuuuuuuuuure Baku. But she's not your average girl!" Zidane put his head on his wrists and slumped on the table. "What am I to do?"
Just then Vivi, the small black mage, waddled through the western style doors. Following him was his family of six, and his wife, Violet. The 6 miniature vivi's stopped behind Vivi.
"Zidane?!" Vivi said in an excited but soft voice. Zidane looked behind him. It had been a while since the two friends had seen each other.
"Hey Vivi! Long time no see!" Zidane stopped pacing and walked towards him. "What are you doing in Alexandria?"
"Violet and I are taking a vacation." Vivi put his arm around his wife. She blinked and waved. "Hi Zidane."
"Hi Uncle Zidane!" The six little black mages shouted in unison.
"Gwahahahaha! It already sounds like you got a family!" Baku laughed from the table.
"So what's going on with you, Zidane?" Vivi asked as he ushered his family over to the table.
"Nothing really." Zidane replied.
"He's going to try to ask Dagger to marry him!" Cinna said. Zidane elbowed him under the table.
"Isn't that sweet. I remember when Vivi proposed to me." Violet said as she put her gloved hands together. Vivi adjusted his hat.
"You two have been dating for two years, I think it's time that you did." Vivi said. "Remember…"
"Life is too short to think about what your going to do with it." Zidane and Vivi said in unison. "But what if she says no?"
"She wont. With your charm, you can pull it off. Just don't stutter." Baku said. He then slapped Zidane really hard in the back, knocking the wind out of him. Baku got out of his chair. "I got to go. Gwahahaha! Got me a date." Baku started walking out.
"Right behind you boss!" Cinna shouted. He picked up his hammer and winked at Zidane. "Baku has a date with a tetra master game." He then walked out, carrying the remains of a South Gate Bundt Cake.
"Uncle Zidane, have you seen mishter Shtiener?" One of the children tugged at his vest. Zidane looked down at him.
"Steiner and Beatrix are probably guarding Dagger. I see them all the time." Zidane replied.
"Has he changed at all?" Vivi asked.
"Nope, still sir Rustalot." Zidane laughed.
"That's wonderful. We should visit him dear." Violet told Vivi. Vivi nodded.
"Say Zidane. When were you going to ask her?" Vivi asked.
"…Tonight, possibly. If I don't chicken out."
"Uncle Zidane doesn't even know the word chicken out. You defe- defa-beat Necwon." One of the children said.
"Arg! Look at me, I'm Necwon!" One of the black mages raised his hands into almost claw like positions. They other children laughed.
"I'm Uncle Zidane! I will beat you up!" The black mage children started chasing each other around the tavern, laughing and giggling the whole way.
Vivi looked at Zidane. "They got a point you know. You don't even know the word quit. To quote you when we were at Memoria."
"I just love that story. It's so shocking." Violet said.
"Yea, but defeating huge lords of death and asking Dagger to marry me are two different things." Zidane sighed.
"Well, look at it this way. Both are obstacles and you have to defeat them to progress. So defeat your obstacle and ask Dagger to marry you!" Violet explained. Vivi nodded.
Zidane laughed. "I am a mess, aren't I? If Amarant were here, he'd take back everything he said about me! You two are right."
"Of coarse she is! She's Violet after all!" Vivi said.
"Thanks guys." Zidane got up. "I'll see you two later." Zidane ran out of the tavern. One of the children ran up to Vivi.
"Where'd Uncle Zidane go?"
Vivi looked at him. "To conquer another trouble."