Inheritance

I finally found out the real name of the Bartender. If you've read my other stories, you'll know I've always called him Pops.

Oh, and anyone remember Zidane's First Christmas? I canned it ages ago, but if you read it, you might recognise a character in this.

R&R

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Zidane walked through the Business District of Lindblum with no real destination in mind. He just needed to think. After using Holy, he'd tried once again with a Curaga, then gotten the fright of his life when he'd realised his tail was hanging down as usual, and only by concentrating could he keep it down. Even so, it seemed weird having it loose; a sure sign that Kuja's thoughts were merging with his own. In the end, he gave up, and let the tail curl up. Considering how much his friends knew he loved his tail, that was going to be hard to explain. Fortunately, he had a plan.

Zidane wandered aimlessly through the streets, and searched a few clothes stores. Finally, he found what he was looking for.

It was a long blue jacket, the fabric similar to his vests, and it hung to his knees. He paid the gil necessary, and walked out.

* * *

If there was one thing Bobo was good at, it was telling when someone needed a drink. And when Zidane slammed open the door of his bar, walked to a stool, sat down, and started hitting his head on the bar, he knew his monkey tailed friend needed something hard.

"Bad day?" he asked, setting a drink in front of the boy.

Zidane snorted. "That's one way of putting it Pops. I'm getting to the point where I might just hang myself by my tail, if the stupid thing can unravel itself long enough to do the job.

Bobo raised an eyebrow. "What, nobody liked the new look?"

Zidane brought his head up to stare at the man. "I hardly think a new jacket counts as a . . ."

Bobo shook his head. "No kid! The streaks!"

Zidane blinked. "What strea . . . "

He trailed off when he realised what the Bartender had to be talking about.

"Oh wow! That really suits you!"

Zidane turned his head to see a black haired girl coming out of the kitchen and up to the two. She looked familiar. Finally it clicked, and his draw dropped.

"Falisha?"

Falisha giggled. "Good to see you Zidane."

"Wha . . ."

"When Uncle Bobo rebuilt his bar, he was short of a few staff. When I moved to Lindblum a few months ago, he gave me the waitress job."

Zidane grinned. "Glad to hear you're doing well."

Then his face took a more worried expression. "So what really suits me?"

"The silver streaks! I guess you don't need mistletoe anymore huh?"[1]. Falisha frowned when Zidane yanked some of his hair in front of his face and stared at it in a mixture of shock and horror.

"It's showing up during the day now?" he whispered, then groaned and drank the ale in front of him in one gulp. When done, his head hit the bar again.

Falisha decided to make herself scarce, and Bobo refilled the boy's drink. "So you gonna tell me what's up?" he asked. "Bartenders are good for keeping secrets."

* * *

It took half an hour of heavy drinking for Bobo to get anything from the boy. Normally, Zidane would have stayed quiet till the end, but the alcohol had loosened his tongue, and found himself spilling his guts to his old friend. As he got further into the tale, Bobo motioned to Falisha to start getting some of the more sober customers out. This wasn't something people should be hearing. Those who were already drunk weren't paying attention, and he doubted they'd remember it even if they were. Besides, he wasn't letting them all out; he WAS running a business here.

It took less than an hour to explain it all, and at the end of it, Bobo was speechless, to say the least.

"Okay, I don't think letting you drink was such a good idea."

Zidane moaned, clutching his head. "Tell me about it. But I think I have a remedy on me, so hopefully no hangover. But I better do something about the hair before anyone notices. Got a hat?"

Bobo obliged, and the boy walked out, his hair hidden from view until his plan could be put into action.

"Poor kid" Bobo muttered. "What'd he do to deserve that?"

* * *

From a doorway in the new Inn, a tall man stood, half hidden from view. He'd been there for the better part of the hour, and no one had noticed him. Not that that was surprising. Despite his size, Armarant could seemingly disappear quite easily.

"Well, well, well . . ."

* * *

"There you are!"

Zidane groaned inwardly as he walked into the Clock Tower. Baku was staring at him angrily, and there was a new wear in the floor, a sure sign that his Boss had been pacing for quite a while.

Baku stormed up to the thief. "Marcus and the others came in here ages ago, saying that you'd ran into them and just pushed past, then ran out into the plains, without a weapon. THEN, the love of your life and the little winged kid 'broke into' your room looking for something, then left empty handed. This has gone on long enough! What the heck is wrong with you!"

Zidane scowled. "It's none of your business Boss" he replied.

Baku however, thought otherwise. "Oh? If it concerns one of my thieves then it's my business . . . and where's your tail?"

Zidane rolled his eyes and went through his reversed explanation. "New jacket. My tail doesn't like the fabric so I'm keeping it up. Happy?"

"No! Now what's wrong?" Baku's voice took a lighter note. "We're just worried about you. Something's wrong and we want to help."

Zidane brushed past the man. "If you want to help, then leave me alone."

With that, he walked to his room and slammed the door shut.

.

To be continued . . .

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Shorter than I wanted, and the next chapter will be short too, but Inheritance is getting to its climax.

Oh, and Eiko Makimachi asked if Zidane's hair would get longer, and if he would be taller. Hair yes, height, no. I am personally under the belief that Kuja was taller because he was older, so Zidane won't be getting a growth spurt anytime soon.

[1] Although it never went anywhere, ZFC had a chapter where Tantalus went after Falisha with Mistletoe, and even if he didn't get a kiss from the black haired girl, he had considerable success from the other females in Lindblum!