"Zidane!" Zidane turned his head to look for the owner of the meek voice.
He already knew who it belonged to, Mikoto. His little sister ran up to him
and wrapped him inside a tight embrace. Sister...only in the sense that
they were two of the only genomes left alive, and that created a kinship.
Much like he and Kuja were...brothers.
"Mikoto! How have you been?"
"Wonderful, thank you. How about you?" She smiled happily and relinquished her grasp. Mikoto had been busy discovering life for the past few years, so Zidane saw her very rarely. She had been so busy in fact, with her travels, that Zidane had barely been able to locate her to invite her to the play. The play! Zidane took a quick look around; the crowd was beginning to gather around the closed theatre...not much longer until the doors opened.
"Mikoto, I really have to go, I'm sorry. If I don't hurry Baku's going to come out and kick me around town for being negligent. See I missed the practice and err...sort of a long story, but I have to get going."
"So you've been busy too, then?" Mikoto held on to him for another moment and looked him over. Zidane nodded rapidly, wriggling away from her grasp.
"I have, yes!"
"Well we'll have to get together for a dinner, then. While we're both not busy, I mean."
"Sure, sure. Maybe tomorrow?"
"Okay!" She let go and smiled sweetly once again, "Good luck with the play!" Zidane barely heard her as he sped away, around the building to the staff entrance in the back. A quick shudder ran through his body - Mikoto was a cute girl and all...but her forwardness and...heavy affection scared him just a little bit. It was hard to understand what she felt or was trying to do - maybe she was just a little bit naïve, just arrived on the real world and all. That was probably it-
"Zidane!" That voice was much more comforting to his ears. He turned to see Garnet standing in the alley across the street, flanked by two of her bodyguards.
"Love!" Zidane hurried to her side with a broad smile. "Hiding in the shadows I see."
"It's easier to enter the theatre without being accosted by every citizen who wants to suck up to me." Garnet glanced at the crowd calmly, "So I'm hiding in the shadows. Walk with me."
It always amazed Zidane how commanding Garnet had become in a matter of years. One minute he was protecting a young, scared girl, and then the next thing he knew he was taking orders from a strong, very self-assured woman. He loved it. "An eventful day?"
"Of course. A lot of cities are taking this opportunity to send me any extra business they've postponed in their laziness. I've never seen so many rich lords pretending to be poor." She grabbed one of his hands and began to swing as they walked, "So..." She laughed quietly, and turned to meet his eyes. "What did our dear little Mikoto have to say?"
Agh...of course she was watching them from the alley...nothing better than a suspicious wife. "Nothing really." He smiled back at her. "She's just busy with her life in Tyen. Trying to start a chocobo farm, it seems." Of course Zidane had nothing to hide - he hadn't done anything, he had no unnatural attachments to Mikoto. He loved Garnet - that was the long and short of it...nothing could change his passion. Unconsciously he gripped her hand tighter.
"That's good. I just haven't talked to her in a long time - maybe I can see her while she's in town."
"That'd be wonderful." Zidane stooped to kiss Garnet fondly on the forehead. "Well, I'd better run. Until tonight!"
Garnet returned the kiss quickly, "Alright. Good luck with the play!"
--
"You can call me Lucifer...heh." Blank chuckled as he wound his way merrily through the crowds, emptying one last bottle before the show. "That's a good one, Blank, you'll have to remember that one. Except only on the smart ones...the dumb broads wouldn't know an angel by name if he came down and said it to 'em." A shriveled old woman glared up at him and he shook his head, "Err, no not you. The other dumb broad over there."
She started warbling at him but he just proceeded, not giving her too much thought. From the little he had read about astrology and religion, angels were somewhere up in the stars with all the gods and their palaces and things. Senethy, the smart guy that wrote the book said that the gods of the polytheistic cults such as Madain Sari were actually just powerful spirits bound to the will of the planet...that was sort of what Blank imagined angels to be. Of course Senethy was an atheist, but that didn't really matter.
And speaking of angels...Blank thought back to the girl that he had met...earlier, he didn't really remember when, due to the influence. Damn she was fine...made him feel sort of low and base compared to her - like a challenge he had to rise up to and grab. Blank grinned. Sounded like a lot of fun.
And speaking of demons - Blank caught sight of Ruby out of the corner of his eye. Caught sight of Ruby with her arms partially wrapped around an enormous man with an enormous grin on his face, his hands barely returning the favor through all the gold that enamored them.
That fat fuck! Jealousy swept over Blank once again in a hot, angry cloud. There was no reason for it, no reason at all that Blank should be attached to Ruby, but he was, and he couldn't help it. He had always imagined that their relationship was some sort of waiting game, and when he finally came out with the right combination on the die, she would give up and finally love him, and everything would be right. But no, that wasn't it at all. That wasn't even close. She wasn't waiting for him; she was just waiting for a man rich and swarthy enough to wrap an illusion of happiness around her so thick with gold dust that she'd never look up again. That was what she wanted!
The world looked miserable once again. He didn't understand how someone could be so stupid...so blatantly wrong and wicked in the midst of their smiles and sweetness. Fake...so fake. He growled and seethed and burned his way through the crowd toward the staff entrance, noting bitterly that Ruby was coming the same way. He had to keep it cool...Blank took in a long breath of city air and exhaled animosity. They might be screwed up and disgusting, but he was still a decent human being who could keep his emotions in check quite well.
"Nervous, Blank?" Ruby strolled up beside him, pattered her face and hair quickly, and then smiled sweetly.
Blank took a deep breath. "Yeah." The animosity leaked back in with the air. "So, is that fat bastard the one you're getting tied to? So what's his specialty? Hmm? Does he have a golden dick? Oh wait...I bet he just knows how to make you laugh. That's so sweet."
The crowd fell away behind them as Ruby's smile fell from her face. They walked in silence for a few moments...the door loomed closer and closer, and then Ruby's hand met Blank's face with all the force she could muster. Pain never felt so good.
"I can't believe you said that! How dare you attack Charles like that, what do you care anyway? Blank, there has never been anything between us! Never! Just let it go!"
"Let it go?" Blank paused and tried to look into Ruby's eyes, tears of anger welling in his own. He pushed them back, he at least had control enough over himself to not cry in front of a woman - he could be steel if he needed to be. "Look...I spent my whole life near you, okay? My whole life...too shy and too stupid to do or say anything...And now I do, and now you're gone - it's over. Game over...I could have at least...I dunno...said something. It's stupid - I'm stupid, I know...but that's how I feel. I'm sorry."
"Blank..." Ruby looked slowly up at him. "Look, this is very sudden and sweet and everything...But I knew, alright? I knew you had a crush on me, I knew where you stood from your actions. You're...you just aren't my type - it never would have worked. It never could have. I hope you can just give it up and go your way without making a big deal out of this."
"Yeah." Steel...he was steel - no surprise, no tears. He was a man. "Yeah, sure, it's fine. Hope...everything goes well for you." Ruby nodded and patted his back softly with a smile. A fake smile at that. He looked up to move on, just go and do and get it over with - and found Zidane and Garnet were standing by the door watching the conversation, surprised expressions on their faces. Could a day take much worse of a turn? "Damn it all..." He growled, lunged through the door, and closed it behind him.
--
Colors swirled on the paper called time, pulling and threading the dimensions then disbanding them in a mere matter of seconds. It was a phenomenon known as teleportation, something only the most advanced of mages could dream of chanting. Not that it was too complex - it was just insane and required quite a bit of luck and foolishness to use. One had to have a very good knowledge of the place they were going, and an even better knowledge of the place they were leaving if they ever hoped to get back.
Vivi cautiously stepped through the gate and looked around timidly, making sure he hadn't ripped anyone in half with the split. Dabbling in the time dimension was very dangerous, he had once been told. Of course he didn't really understand most of the magic he used, the how and why of it that was, so he tried not to think much of the extra implications of touching a fourth dimension. He just closed his eyes and said the words as clearly as he could.
The safety of the project thus assured, Vivi stepped back through the portal, disappearing for a few moments, to return carrying two bundles of black and blue. They were his two sons, Wili and Bili. His wife, Lili, followed close behind, her beautiful golden eyes darting around cautiously as she took in the location. It had been some time since he had taken the family to Alexandria, and the boys were just brimming with excitement. Of course the place he had teleported them wasn't too exciting - it was a narrow alleyway curled around a crumbling church, but it was still Alexandria, he could feel the city air clinging to his face and hands.
"Okay, follow me closely boys. We don't want to be late for the play!" Vivi set them on the ground carefully then started off toward the theatre, keeping a close eye on his sons as they tottered along. They had grown extremely fast in their one-year of life, almost too big for him to carry now. Of course he had been the same way. He wasn't sure quite how long he had been alive, but it couldn't have been too long, and he was already almost as big as a human adolescent - just a little taller than Lili.
Lili...he looked back to his wife and smiled, a gesture that she returned (although the motion was much different in black mages than humans, more an adjustment of the eyes than anything else). "Everything is so big and crowded!" Lili squealed as a man pushing a cart of goods moved by.
Lili had been born in the Black Mage Village not long before Vivi had visited, after the War of Worlds had ended, and he had instantly fallen for her coy nature. It had taken him over a year to ask the question, but since then he had never been happier. They had moved to Dali before either child was born, but the quaint town was nothing compared to the overpowering vastness of Alexandria.
"Now you all be careful, stay close to me. This is a big town, and there are a lot of strange people here." He couldn't forget his first trip to Alexandria. Of course...the fact that his encounters there had gotten him tangled up in a war wasn't necessarily a bad thing - but if he could help it that wasn't something his children had to go through. If he could help it they would never even have to use their black magic.
Vivi turned the corner, and took a step back, confronted with the sight of rows and rows of people lined up in front of Ruby's theatre, now quite an accomplishment in size. The Alexandrian people were very proud of the wealth of the town, and so the play was definitely not underdone. Fireworks were being shot off in no particular order, numerous bands played from various locations, and everyone carried a general feeling of rowdy excitement - not to mention loudly colored clothing. Vivi quickly took a place in one of the lines into the theatre, pulling his family in close behind him. "Get ready to see the best play ever!" Vivi smiled. "I know you're gonna love it."
--
The inside of the theatre was dark, humid and crowded. Music roared from every direction, light flashed around the room, people ran around the room in a quest to find the best seat...Utter havoc. Kain glanced around the room, sighed, and began searching for the nearest empty seat. It hadn't been the most productive day he had ever spent. It took him almost the whole afternoon to finally find out that he needed an official appointment to visit the queen...just to give her the present and go back home. So he set up an official appointment, which was set for the middle of tomorrow...which meant he wouldn't be able to leave for two more days.
He couldn't really put his finger on why this upset him so much...why he really wanted to go back to cramped, stuffy little Macema and make more arrows for people who didn't use them. Why he wanted to abandon a thriving, living city and replace it with something almost dead where no one really knew him and no one wanted to.
Something about the people...something about the danger. Kain watched two men shrouded in black robes shuffle past him, then he slid into a seat with a sigh. And so he would go back to Macema after his business was finished - that would end his 'exciting adventure', back to real life.
"How is Sara doing?" Kain's head jerked up and spun around. Who said it? All around him were blank faces, blank expressions...was it someone else having a conversation, a coincidence? Of course it was...no one there knew him, he was just too jumpy.
"You two must be so happy now." Kain gritted his teeth and shut his eyes. Stop it, dammit! Stop it!
--
"Alright kids!" Baku roared at his players backstage. "This is it! It's been a while, I'm sure you're all a little rough around the edges...but I'm also sure that we're Tantalus! And Tantalus can do anything! Knock yerselves out!"
The Tantalus salute went silently around the circle, then the group broke up and moved to their beginning points. Zidane took a quick look around; noting quickly that Blank was by himself. With a strain of pity, Zidane walked over to join him. He and Blank had pretty much always been friends, or at least companions, ever since they had met as kids on the streets of Lindblum. They were close; they had traded favors and lifesavers numerous times. And they could always talk.
"Blank!" Zidane called, putting on an empathizing face to meet his friend. Blank turned slowly, wearing the faded grin he always wore when he was about to cry. "Blank...I'm really sorry about...you know."
"It's fine." Blank shook his head and punched Zidane lightly on the shoulder, "Of course it would be better if you hadn't been watching the whole damn thing."
"Sometimes it's just meant to happen." Zidane shrugged, "Look...I want to help. Just stop thinking about Ruby, get out there and find someone else just as...whatever Ruby is. It can't be that hard."
"Sure." Blank looked down, tugging at his pockets, "No problem."
"Everything will work out." Zidane squeezed Blank's shoulder, wishing he could think of something more encouraging to say. Unfortunately, he wasn't the greatest authority on words...it wasn't too hard to always stay cheerful himself, but helping others...He shrugged and reached into his pocket, "Ready to flip?"
"Heads." Blank grunted as the coin came out of Zidane's pocket. Zidane nodded and gave the coin a quick flick. The coin flip was a tradition that decided who would win the mock sword fight. Of course it didn't really matter to anyone else but Zidane and Blank...but that was irrelevant.
Blank caught it and opened his fist, raising his eyebrow slightly in surprise. "Heads. Guess I'm not completely out of luck."
Zidane nodded, "Maybe your luck is just about to change." Blank grinned, then vaulted over the steps to the darkened area below. Zidane moved to follow him.
"Zidane...do you believe in God?" Hmm? Zidane looked around.
"Someone call me?" There was no one around. Odd... Did he believe...? Didn't matter. There was a play to perform.
--
Garnet sat alone in the high balcony created for the rich guests. The seats were divided into separate boxes of fours...Garnet's one was out on the stage, playing main role in front of the whole town. She would have to tell him what a great job he did later...he would probably appreciate that.
Garnet smiled secretively then looked around, as if the shadows could read her mind. Lately she had become restless...impatient with her daily life, always waiting for the night. Of course she should probably feel guilty or something about that, but she definitely didn't. Three years of being queen was boring, she needed to find something new.
Garnet watched as Zidane picked up his stage sword, spun it a few times, then looked up to her balcony. He saluted then threw a grand kiss up toward her. She caught it with a smile. That was one piece of her life that she had no intention of leaving behind. Zidane was the best thing that had ever happened to her...She sighed and clasped her hands together. There was no reason for her to complain - she really did have a nearly perfect life.
The door behind her slid open and closed quietly. She turned to try to make out the dark figure behind her, but the form was lost in the shadows. "Who's there?"
There was a long, drawn-out silence that stuck Garnet's heart in her throat. She was brave...she was a warrior - nothing could go wrong. "I said...w-who's th-"
"Mera. My dear Mera..." The voice was fragile, quavering like glass in fire...like a feather on the breeze...like her heart through the window.
"Kuja?"
--
With a final burst of music, light fled the room and the play began. Despite the sudden quiet that fell over the room, there was a thundering of emotions, loud, pleading sonatas of the heart. Shade could hear them. The show had definitely begun.
"I would imagine this will be quite a wonderful performance, don't you think?" Shade looked over to his companion, who smiled up at him faintly.
"Yes...do you think everything will go well?"
"I would imagine that everything will go...quite perfectly." He was in charge, how could it not go perfectly? After all, he was about the closest to perfect anyone could ever dream to get. Did that sound too proud? Shade chuckled and stared into the darkness, waiting for the life to begin. "In fact, I believe a show like this will never be seen again."
--
Roll them high,
Throw them again,
All Gods' Dice.
Monkey driven, call this living,
Too much thought, it's overwrought,
Minding yours what's mine not yours,
Will finish us all off.
Designate a life.
Designate a view.
Designate my will.
Resignate my god.
Gods' Dice - Pearl Jam
"Mikoto! How have you been?"
"Wonderful, thank you. How about you?" She smiled happily and relinquished her grasp. Mikoto had been busy discovering life for the past few years, so Zidane saw her very rarely. She had been so busy in fact, with her travels, that Zidane had barely been able to locate her to invite her to the play. The play! Zidane took a quick look around; the crowd was beginning to gather around the closed theatre...not much longer until the doors opened.
"Mikoto, I really have to go, I'm sorry. If I don't hurry Baku's going to come out and kick me around town for being negligent. See I missed the practice and err...sort of a long story, but I have to get going."
"So you've been busy too, then?" Mikoto held on to him for another moment and looked him over. Zidane nodded rapidly, wriggling away from her grasp.
"I have, yes!"
"Well we'll have to get together for a dinner, then. While we're both not busy, I mean."
"Sure, sure. Maybe tomorrow?"
"Okay!" She let go and smiled sweetly once again, "Good luck with the play!" Zidane barely heard her as he sped away, around the building to the staff entrance in the back. A quick shudder ran through his body - Mikoto was a cute girl and all...but her forwardness and...heavy affection scared him just a little bit. It was hard to understand what she felt or was trying to do - maybe she was just a little bit naïve, just arrived on the real world and all. That was probably it-
"Zidane!" That voice was much more comforting to his ears. He turned to see Garnet standing in the alley across the street, flanked by two of her bodyguards.
"Love!" Zidane hurried to her side with a broad smile. "Hiding in the shadows I see."
"It's easier to enter the theatre without being accosted by every citizen who wants to suck up to me." Garnet glanced at the crowd calmly, "So I'm hiding in the shadows. Walk with me."
It always amazed Zidane how commanding Garnet had become in a matter of years. One minute he was protecting a young, scared girl, and then the next thing he knew he was taking orders from a strong, very self-assured woman. He loved it. "An eventful day?"
"Of course. A lot of cities are taking this opportunity to send me any extra business they've postponed in their laziness. I've never seen so many rich lords pretending to be poor." She grabbed one of his hands and began to swing as they walked, "So..." She laughed quietly, and turned to meet his eyes. "What did our dear little Mikoto have to say?"
Agh...of course she was watching them from the alley...nothing better than a suspicious wife. "Nothing really." He smiled back at her. "She's just busy with her life in Tyen. Trying to start a chocobo farm, it seems." Of course Zidane had nothing to hide - he hadn't done anything, he had no unnatural attachments to Mikoto. He loved Garnet - that was the long and short of it...nothing could change his passion. Unconsciously he gripped her hand tighter.
"That's good. I just haven't talked to her in a long time - maybe I can see her while she's in town."
"That'd be wonderful." Zidane stooped to kiss Garnet fondly on the forehead. "Well, I'd better run. Until tonight!"
Garnet returned the kiss quickly, "Alright. Good luck with the play!"
--
"You can call me Lucifer...heh." Blank chuckled as he wound his way merrily through the crowds, emptying one last bottle before the show. "That's a good one, Blank, you'll have to remember that one. Except only on the smart ones...the dumb broads wouldn't know an angel by name if he came down and said it to 'em." A shriveled old woman glared up at him and he shook his head, "Err, no not you. The other dumb broad over there."
She started warbling at him but he just proceeded, not giving her too much thought. From the little he had read about astrology and religion, angels were somewhere up in the stars with all the gods and their palaces and things. Senethy, the smart guy that wrote the book said that the gods of the polytheistic cults such as Madain Sari were actually just powerful spirits bound to the will of the planet...that was sort of what Blank imagined angels to be. Of course Senethy was an atheist, but that didn't really matter.
And speaking of angels...Blank thought back to the girl that he had met...earlier, he didn't really remember when, due to the influence. Damn she was fine...made him feel sort of low and base compared to her - like a challenge he had to rise up to and grab. Blank grinned. Sounded like a lot of fun.
And speaking of demons - Blank caught sight of Ruby out of the corner of his eye. Caught sight of Ruby with her arms partially wrapped around an enormous man with an enormous grin on his face, his hands barely returning the favor through all the gold that enamored them.
That fat fuck! Jealousy swept over Blank once again in a hot, angry cloud. There was no reason for it, no reason at all that Blank should be attached to Ruby, but he was, and he couldn't help it. He had always imagined that their relationship was some sort of waiting game, and when he finally came out with the right combination on the die, she would give up and finally love him, and everything would be right. But no, that wasn't it at all. That wasn't even close. She wasn't waiting for him; she was just waiting for a man rich and swarthy enough to wrap an illusion of happiness around her so thick with gold dust that she'd never look up again. That was what she wanted!
The world looked miserable once again. He didn't understand how someone could be so stupid...so blatantly wrong and wicked in the midst of their smiles and sweetness. Fake...so fake. He growled and seethed and burned his way through the crowd toward the staff entrance, noting bitterly that Ruby was coming the same way. He had to keep it cool...Blank took in a long breath of city air and exhaled animosity. They might be screwed up and disgusting, but he was still a decent human being who could keep his emotions in check quite well.
"Nervous, Blank?" Ruby strolled up beside him, pattered her face and hair quickly, and then smiled sweetly.
Blank took a deep breath. "Yeah." The animosity leaked back in with the air. "So, is that fat bastard the one you're getting tied to? So what's his specialty? Hmm? Does he have a golden dick? Oh wait...I bet he just knows how to make you laugh. That's so sweet."
The crowd fell away behind them as Ruby's smile fell from her face. They walked in silence for a few moments...the door loomed closer and closer, and then Ruby's hand met Blank's face with all the force she could muster. Pain never felt so good.
"I can't believe you said that! How dare you attack Charles like that, what do you care anyway? Blank, there has never been anything between us! Never! Just let it go!"
"Let it go?" Blank paused and tried to look into Ruby's eyes, tears of anger welling in his own. He pushed them back, he at least had control enough over himself to not cry in front of a woman - he could be steel if he needed to be. "Look...I spent my whole life near you, okay? My whole life...too shy and too stupid to do or say anything...And now I do, and now you're gone - it's over. Game over...I could have at least...I dunno...said something. It's stupid - I'm stupid, I know...but that's how I feel. I'm sorry."
"Blank..." Ruby looked slowly up at him. "Look, this is very sudden and sweet and everything...But I knew, alright? I knew you had a crush on me, I knew where you stood from your actions. You're...you just aren't my type - it never would have worked. It never could have. I hope you can just give it up and go your way without making a big deal out of this."
"Yeah." Steel...he was steel - no surprise, no tears. He was a man. "Yeah, sure, it's fine. Hope...everything goes well for you." Ruby nodded and patted his back softly with a smile. A fake smile at that. He looked up to move on, just go and do and get it over with - and found Zidane and Garnet were standing by the door watching the conversation, surprised expressions on their faces. Could a day take much worse of a turn? "Damn it all..." He growled, lunged through the door, and closed it behind him.
--
Colors swirled on the paper called time, pulling and threading the dimensions then disbanding them in a mere matter of seconds. It was a phenomenon known as teleportation, something only the most advanced of mages could dream of chanting. Not that it was too complex - it was just insane and required quite a bit of luck and foolishness to use. One had to have a very good knowledge of the place they were going, and an even better knowledge of the place they were leaving if they ever hoped to get back.
Vivi cautiously stepped through the gate and looked around timidly, making sure he hadn't ripped anyone in half with the split. Dabbling in the time dimension was very dangerous, he had once been told. Of course he didn't really understand most of the magic he used, the how and why of it that was, so he tried not to think much of the extra implications of touching a fourth dimension. He just closed his eyes and said the words as clearly as he could.
The safety of the project thus assured, Vivi stepped back through the portal, disappearing for a few moments, to return carrying two bundles of black and blue. They were his two sons, Wili and Bili. His wife, Lili, followed close behind, her beautiful golden eyes darting around cautiously as she took in the location. It had been some time since he had taken the family to Alexandria, and the boys were just brimming with excitement. Of course the place he had teleported them wasn't too exciting - it was a narrow alleyway curled around a crumbling church, but it was still Alexandria, he could feel the city air clinging to his face and hands.
"Okay, follow me closely boys. We don't want to be late for the play!" Vivi set them on the ground carefully then started off toward the theatre, keeping a close eye on his sons as they tottered along. They had grown extremely fast in their one-year of life, almost too big for him to carry now. Of course he had been the same way. He wasn't sure quite how long he had been alive, but it couldn't have been too long, and he was already almost as big as a human adolescent - just a little taller than Lili.
Lili...he looked back to his wife and smiled, a gesture that she returned (although the motion was much different in black mages than humans, more an adjustment of the eyes than anything else). "Everything is so big and crowded!" Lili squealed as a man pushing a cart of goods moved by.
Lili had been born in the Black Mage Village not long before Vivi had visited, after the War of Worlds had ended, and he had instantly fallen for her coy nature. It had taken him over a year to ask the question, but since then he had never been happier. They had moved to Dali before either child was born, but the quaint town was nothing compared to the overpowering vastness of Alexandria.
"Now you all be careful, stay close to me. This is a big town, and there are a lot of strange people here." He couldn't forget his first trip to Alexandria. Of course...the fact that his encounters there had gotten him tangled up in a war wasn't necessarily a bad thing - but if he could help it that wasn't something his children had to go through. If he could help it they would never even have to use their black magic.
Vivi turned the corner, and took a step back, confronted with the sight of rows and rows of people lined up in front of Ruby's theatre, now quite an accomplishment in size. The Alexandrian people were very proud of the wealth of the town, and so the play was definitely not underdone. Fireworks were being shot off in no particular order, numerous bands played from various locations, and everyone carried a general feeling of rowdy excitement - not to mention loudly colored clothing. Vivi quickly took a place in one of the lines into the theatre, pulling his family in close behind him. "Get ready to see the best play ever!" Vivi smiled. "I know you're gonna love it."
--
The inside of the theatre was dark, humid and crowded. Music roared from every direction, light flashed around the room, people ran around the room in a quest to find the best seat...Utter havoc. Kain glanced around the room, sighed, and began searching for the nearest empty seat. It hadn't been the most productive day he had ever spent. It took him almost the whole afternoon to finally find out that he needed an official appointment to visit the queen...just to give her the present and go back home. So he set up an official appointment, which was set for the middle of tomorrow...which meant he wouldn't be able to leave for two more days.
He couldn't really put his finger on why this upset him so much...why he really wanted to go back to cramped, stuffy little Macema and make more arrows for people who didn't use them. Why he wanted to abandon a thriving, living city and replace it with something almost dead where no one really knew him and no one wanted to.
Something about the people...something about the danger. Kain watched two men shrouded in black robes shuffle past him, then he slid into a seat with a sigh. And so he would go back to Macema after his business was finished - that would end his 'exciting adventure', back to real life.
"How is Sara doing?" Kain's head jerked up and spun around. Who said it? All around him were blank faces, blank expressions...was it someone else having a conversation, a coincidence? Of course it was...no one there knew him, he was just too jumpy.
"You two must be so happy now." Kain gritted his teeth and shut his eyes. Stop it, dammit! Stop it!
--
"Alright kids!" Baku roared at his players backstage. "This is it! It's been a while, I'm sure you're all a little rough around the edges...but I'm also sure that we're Tantalus! And Tantalus can do anything! Knock yerselves out!"
The Tantalus salute went silently around the circle, then the group broke up and moved to their beginning points. Zidane took a quick look around; noting quickly that Blank was by himself. With a strain of pity, Zidane walked over to join him. He and Blank had pretty much always been friends, or at least companions, ever since they had met as kids on the streets of Lindblum. They were close; they had traded favors and lifesavers numerous times. And they could always talk.
"Blank!" Zidane called, putting on an empathizing face to meet his friend. Blank turned slowly, wearing the faded grin he always wore when he was about to cry. "Blank...I'm really sorry about...you know."
"It's fine." Blank shook his head and punched Zidane lightly on the shoulder, "Of course it would be better if you hadn't been watching the whole damn thing."
"Sometimes it's just meant to happen." Zidane shrugged, "Look...I want to help. Just stop thinking about Ruby, get out there and find someone else just as...whatever Ruby is. It can't be that hard."
"Sure." Blank looked down, tugging at his pockets, "No problem."
"Everything will work out." Zidane squeezed Blank's shoulder, wishing he could think of something more encouraging to say. Unfortunately, he wasn't the greatest authority on words...it wasn't too hard to always stay cheerful himself, but helping others...He shrugged and reached into his pocket, "Ready to flip?"
"Heads." Blank grunted as the coin came out of Zidane's pocket. Zidane nodded and gave the coin a quick flick. The coin flip was a tradition that decided who would win the mock sword fight. Of course it didn't really matter to anyone else but Zidane and Blank...but that was irrelevant.
Blank caught it and opened his fist, raising his eyebrow slightly in surprise. "Heads. Guess I'm not completely out of luck."
Zidane nodded, "Maybe your luck is just about to change." Blank grinned, then vaulted over the steps to the darkened area below. Zidane moved to follow him.
"Zidane...do you believe in God?" Hmm? Zidane looked around.
"Someone call me?" There was no one around. Odd... Did he believe...? Didn't matter. There was a play to perform.
--
Garnet sat alone in the high balcony created for the rich guests. The seats were divided into separate boxes of fours...Garnet's one was out on the stage, playing main role in front of the whole town. She would have to tell him what a great job he did later...he would probably appreciate that.
Garnet smiled secretively then looked around, as if the shadows could read her mind. Lately she had become restless...impatient with her daily life, always waiting for the night. Of course she should probably feel guilty or something about that, but she definitely didn't. Three years of being queen was boring, she needed to find something new.
Garnet watched as Zidane picked up his stage sword, spun it a few times, then looked up to her balcony. He saluted then threw a grand kiss up toward her. She caught it with a smile. That was one piece of her life that she had no intention of leaving behind. Zidane was the best thing that had ever happened to her...She sighed and clasped her hands together. There was no reason for her to complain - she really did have a nearly perfect life.
The door behind her slid open and closed quietly. She turned to try to make out the dark figure behind her, but the form was lost in the shadows. "Who's there?"
There was a long, drawn-out silence that stuck Garnet's heart in her throat. She was brave...she was a warrior - nothing could go wrong. "I said...w-who's th-"
"Mera. My dear Mera..." The voice was fragile, quavering like glass in fire...like a feather on the breeze...like her heart through the window.
"Kuja?"
--
With a final burst of music, light fled the room and the play began. Despite the sudden quiet that fell over the room, there was a thundering of emotions, loud, pleading sonatas of the heart. Shade could hear them. The show had definitely begun.
"I would imagine this will be quite a wonderful performance, don't you think?" Shade looked over to his companion, who smiled up at him faintly.
"Yes...do you think everything will go well?"
"I would imagine that everything will go...quite perfectly." He was in charge, how could it not go perfectly? After all, he was about the closest to perfect anyone could ever dream to get. Did that sound too proud? Shade chuckled and stared into the darkness, waiting for the life to begin. "In fact, I believe a show like this will never be seen again."
--
Roll them high,
Throw them again,
All Gods' Dice.
Monkey driven, call this living,
Too much thought, it's overwrought,
Minding yours what's mine not yours,
Will finish us all off.
Designate a life.
Designate a view.
Designate my will.
Resignate my god.
Gods' Dice - Pearl Jam