REDG: Sorry about the long wait for an update! :p I don't really have an excuse except that I got into one of my lazy moods again. ehehehhh...it happens. Well, Enjoy!

Chapter 20

A Little of You

"We're flying on that?!" Tori yelped, and pointed at a huge dragon with silvery feathers, "No offence, Kujaku, but I kinda thought we'd be flying on something a little more…ummm…airship-like…"

"You thought wrong" he said simply.He climbed onto the dragon and held his hand out to Tori, "Come on, Alexandria awaits"

"Dramatic bastard" she muttered, and took his hand. Underneath them, the dragon spread its wings, sending a spray of rain and feathers all over the stone floor.

"You'll want to hang on to something" Kuja said.

Tori looked around and couldn't find anything, "What the hell'm I s'posta hang onto, stupid? There nothing here!"

The dragon flapped its wings, almost knocking Tori off its back. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Kuja's waist and hung on tight.

"Milady, would you mind letting go?" Kuja gasped, "Can't…breath…"

Tori ignored him and watched as Burmecia started getting smaller, as the dragon flew higher. She went from being pale as a sheet to a sickening shade of green.

"Kujaku?"

"Yes?" he asked, looking back at her worriedly.

"Lemmee off Goddammit!" she snarled.

(Steiner and Dagger)

On the cable car going to the Summit Station, Dagger was curled up on the seat, fast asleep. The conductor had announced that they would be arriving soon, but Steiner decided to not wake her until they had gotten there. She needed rest.

The car halted to a stop at the station, jolting Dagger awake. She stretched for a second and followed Steiner outside to wait for the cable car that would take them to Alexandria. They walked into the rest stop to go get something to drink and pass time.

"Awww crap! I missed my ride! Now what'm I gonna do?!" Dagger heard a familiar voice complain. She sat at her table drinking a steaming cup of coffee and listened to the rest of the conversation.

"How the hell should I know?" another voice, a more rough one, snapped at the first, "You were the one who wanted to watch the scenery while eating South Gate Bundt Cake! We're gonna be late getting back to Lindblum now you ninny!"

There was a short pause and then finally the second voice added, "I won't tell the Boss though, alright? So stop giving me those damned puppy-dog eyes!"

"Alright! Thanks! Let's eat another bundt cake!"

They walked in through the door of the rest stop and Dagger was shocked to see Marcus and Cinna walk in. Cinna headed straight towards the stall where Dagger had picked up her coffee, and bought several bundt cakes.

"Marcus! Cinna! Over here!" she called, waving enthusiastically. They grinned and walked over to the table she sat at. Unfortunately, Steiner decided to check on the princess as well, and ran into the two thieves.

"Scoundrels!" he yelled, pointing at them accusingly.

"Thanks!" Cinna said while eating a cake, "You want one of these? They're great!"

"Why thank y-… what the hell?! I refuse to sit and eat cake and drink tea with a bunch of thieves at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere! Are you here to kidnap the princess again!?"

"You coulda just said no…"

Dagger sighed and turned to Marcus, "You're Marcus, right? What are you doing here?"

"Nevermind that. Whats say you and I ditch the tin man and find a nice, quiet place?"

"How dare you talk to the Princess that way!" Steiner yelled, shoving Marcus away from Dagger, "She is not some prostitute"

"Steiner…" Dagger said, exasperated, "He was only joking. Don't take everything so seriously.". With that said, she asked what Marcus and Cinna where doing there again.

Marcus: When we escaped from Evil Forest...

"Princess! You shouldn't waste your breath on criminals!" Steiner said, butting in on their conversation again.

Dagger whirled around to face him and snapped, "Adelbert Steiner! If you interrupt me one more time I will have you demoted!"

"Wh-Wha...!?"

Dagger smiled sweetly, "Well, that got your attention. Anyways, can't I even talk to my friends?"

"Friends!? But they're..."

"…Steiner…help me out here…I'm thinking of a word that starts with 'D'. Maybe its demotion?"

Steiner said hurriedly, "Why don't you go talk to those thieves over there?"

"What a good idea Steiner! Brilliant!" Dagger said, patting him on the head and turned to talk to Marcus again.

"The cable car to Alexandria has arrived!" an Attendant on the platform announced.

" It's here!" Cinna yelped excitedly, and grabbed Marcus's wrist to drag him towards the cable car.

"But you're goin' to Lindblum, stupid!" Marcus snarled.

"I-I know that! But you're going to Alexandria!" Cinna said, "I'll see you off the the cable car!"

"Yeah, I'm heading to Treno."

"You're going to Treno? We are too!" Dagger said happily, and looked back at Steiner to see that he was almost pouting, "Let's go, Steiner. Steiner? Are you mad at me?"

"No…I'm coming" Steiner said tiredly, and got onto the cable car. The took their seats and within a few minutes the car started its engines to leave.

" Good luck!" Cinna called from outside, waving.

"Yeah. I'll save our bro!" Marcus called back, and waved back at him until he was out of sight.

Dagger looked over at Marcus and asked, "Who is 'Bro'?"

"Oh, you mean Blank!" Marcus laughed, "We all call him Bro. Anyways, we've been gathering info to cure his petrification. We finally learned about an item called Supersoft that cures all forms of petrification. Cinna's going to the Tantalus hideout to tell the others"

"I see..."

"It's my turn for questions. Where's Zidane? You dump him at Lindblum?" he asked.

"Heavens no!" Dagger said, "I left because Zidane was treating me like a child!"

Marcus shrugged, "Okay."

"… …Say, Marcus... Um, is there any way I can help with Blank. I feel partly responsible for what happened…"

"I'm fine on my own."

Suddenly, the cable car jerked and then stopped. Dagger looked out the window to see if they had already reached their destination, but saw that they were on a rocky hill instead of at a cable car station.

"Maybe the engine broke down?" Steiner mused, and leaned back in his seat to take a nap.

The conductor calmly walked into the passenger car and announced, "We're having slight difficulties. If you would please remain seated we-" he stopped and looked out the window, pointed, and screamed, "It's a demon! A demon with a pointy hat!!!"

Dagger and Steiner immediately jumped up, saying "Black Waltz!" in unison as they ran out the back of the cable car. Marcus walked out after them, muttering about how it had better be something important. He saw the Black Waltz and hissed, "What the hell is that?!"

The thing cackled insanely and muttered in monotone, "Mission…retrieve princess…alive…"

"Agh! Night of the living Black Waltz No.3!!!" Dagger screamed and pointed accusingly at the mage. (a/n: sweatdrop…I had to write that).

"You monster!" Steiner roared and charged at the mage, blade swinging madly.

Marcus grinned, "Princess, can I steal its hat?"

"No…"

"Damn. I always wanted to know what they looked like underneath their hats" and ran off to help Steiner finish off the 3rd Black Waltz. When they battle was over, the guys ran back to Dagger, who was sitting on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest and staring at nothing in particular.

"Are you alright?" Steiner asked, "Who would do such a thing"

"I'm not that ignorant, Steiner, and neither are you" she stopped to glare at Marcus who had started laughing at that last bit, "I know I have to get back to Alexandria as soon as possible to talk with mother. Now lets go"

They headed back to the cable car in silence.

(In Alexandria)

Kuja and Tori had landed just outside of Alexandria. She was sitting down, still looking a bit dizzy, and the green tinge hadn't gone away from her face. Somehow she had managed to go through the whole trip without getting sick. Kuja on the other hand, now had bruises on his stomach from where Tori had inflicted her death-grip.

"Its not funny, you know" Kuja said, pouting.

"Deal with it" Tori muttered, "I got problems of my own right now"

"Well, I have to get you to Alexandria Castle so I can head to Treno."

Tori brightened up a little, "Treno! Ooo! Say hi to Yuki if you see him" She sighed when she saw the confused look on Kuja's face and explained, "He's got brown hair…in his thirties now…starting to go gray. He'll recognize you though, I'd bet"

"Whatever" Kuja said, shrugging, "Are you ready to go yet?"

Tori shook her head and mumbled, "Still feel sick."

Kuja grinned, "Well, I guess I'll have to carry you then, won't I?" and with that, scooped her up into his arms, one arm under the back of her leg and the other supporting her upper body.

Tori crossed her arms over her chest and muttered, "Jerk". Even so, she was at least a little happy that he was looking out for her at the moment.

(Back on the Cable Car)

"We're almost there! I can see the city from here!" Dagger enthused, pressing her face against the window to get a better view.

"Now…are you sure you still want to help me find the Supersoft?" Marcus asked.

"Of course, silly! Plus, I'll get to see Treno! I haven't been here since I was little and still studying!"

The cable car stopped and they got off, relieved to be able to walk around again. They stretched a little before deciding to head out.

REDG: So, whatcha think so far? :D Good? bad? chicken? (Don't ask). Please R&R!
On a different note, I gotta do some christmas shopping. o.O Goody...