Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IX or any of it's characters.

Here it is, chapter two!

Please review once you finish reading!


Chapter 2: Starting Out

Blank woke up a little before the sun rose. He glanced over to where Steiner was standing, and saw him asleep while standing. How did he do that? Blank thought, not knowing anyone who is able to sleep while standing, or at least he thinks he doesn't know anyone with said ability.

Blank heard a shuffling noise behind him, and quickly rolled around, and saw a small moogle lying there. Blank slightly smiled and stood up, wiped his hand through his flaming red hair, and then walked over to the petrified wall of vines. Blank glanced at the forest that he know loathed more then anything he could possibly have thought of.

Blank leaned up against the petrified wall, and thought of his tantalus brethren. I wonder if they got out... Blank thought, hoping they did. They may have gone out a way that was closer to Alexandria. We didn't make it far from there before we got shot down, so I wouldn't be too surprised, but I still don't know why they would attempt it. Who would have known that the forest became petrified? I wonder if it had something to do with us defeating that huge plant boss guy...

Blank took out his map and began looking for a place to go, now that they were going to really start their journey. He knew that the South Gate was closed, but decided that he should go their anyway, in case someone is there and would let them buy some supplies, and allow Blank to buy clothes, other then the ones he had to wear for the play. Blank then started scanning the map for a place to cross over the mountain, hopefully without having to scale the mountain, as he doubted Garnet or Vivi could climb it.

Then, after throughly scanning the map, he found a strange indent in the mountains to the east of him. Blank had never really used a map before as he very rarely did anything that needed a map, and when he did use a map, Cinna was there to help him use the map.Blank hoped that the indent was some sort of cave, so he decided that they would head to the South Gate, then to this cave, or what he hoped to be a cave.

Blank then noticed some movement, and looked to the camp, where he saw the moogle get up, and turn over to Blank's direction. The moogle quickly rushed over, his little red pompom bouncing as he did, and then took a purple flute out of somewhere in his fur. "Here!" the moogle said as he gave the flute to Blank. "It's a Moogle Flute, kupo! Now you can call us anywhere in the world, kupo! We can also send mail back and forth!"

"Why are you giving this to me?" Blank asked, very confused why the moogle was even in the campsite in the first place.

"Because I saw you escape from Evil Forest, kupo," the moogle told Blank, which only confused him more, but ignored it.

"Can you find people?" Blank asked the cute little creature.

"Kupo," the moogle nodded.

"Can you find the members of Tantalus?" Blank asked.

"It'll cost, kupo..." the moogle bargained.

"How much?" Blank sighed, reaching into his pocket where he kept the money that he earned while sword fighting with Zidane.

"Uhh... 100 gil, kupo," the moogle smiled, not deviously but very cutely.

"Fine..." Blank nodded and picked out a few gil and gave it to the little moogle and put it into the mysterious pocket.

"I'll find you once I find them!" the moogle exclaimed, and started to run off.

"Hey wait!" Blank called, just before the moogle was gone.

"Yeah?" the moogle asked.

"Uhh, also tell them that I need to know where to drop off the... uhh... person, and that Zidane was petrified," Blank ordered.

"Need to know where to drop off the... person," the moogle looked suspiciously at Blank, who simply nodded. "And that Zidane was petrified."

"That's right," Blank nodded.

"Alright!" the moogle again exclaimed, and rushed out of sight in speed that Blank couldn't believe even after seeing it with his own eyes.

Blank then glanced at the flute and thought of how it might be of use, but then thought of something. Blank placed the end in his mouth, and put his mismatched fingers on random holes across the flute. Blank blew into the flute and made a 'puet' sound. Blank quickly took the flute away from his mouth and put it into one of his pockets, and thought he would ask the princess if she could play the flute, and hoped she could.

Blank then put the map into his pocket as well, as he noticed the princess starting to shift, and slowly open her beautiful brown eyes. She immediately noticed Blank standing there and slightly smiled, showing her perfectly white teeth. "Why are you already up?" Garnet softly asked the thief and he could barely hear her.

"I just woke up," Blank answered, a little loud so she could hear him. She then got up and walked over to him, as so they could really speak.

"Where are we going next?" Garnet softly asked, and it was clear to Blank that she was still not fully awake.

"First we'll go to the South Gate to get some supplies," Blank answered, then remembered the flute he received from the moogle. "Which reminds me, can you play the flute?"

"A little," Garnet answered, then noticed the flute in his pocket. "Mother made me learn a couple instruments. Why?"

"A moogle gave me this flute," Blank answered, taking the flute from his pocket. "He told me to play it if I needed any help, but I don't know how to play."

"Alright," Garnet took the flute and put it in her mouth as Blank had done earlier. She played very beautifully, much better then she made it seem she could play, and a moogle came rushing to them from the south.

"May I help you?" the moogle asked.

"Yeah," Blank answered, and showed the moogle the map and pointed to the indent he hoped was a cave. "Is this a cave?"

"Yeah," the moogle nodded. "I'm positive."

"Where does it lead?" Garnet asked, not certain what they were talking about but wanted to be involved.

"It leads to Dali," the little moogle answered.

"Thanks," Blank nodded as the moogle ran back down the south. Blank then turned to the gorgeous princess and asked, "Do you know about the village?"

"Not really," the princess answered. "I just know that it's an Alexandrian village."

"Hmm..." the thief muttered. "Then we might have some trouble..."

"What do you mean?" Garnet questioned the tantalus member.

"Well, they'll probably recognize you," Blank answered. "We'll have to make a fake name for you..."

"Oh really?" the princess asked. "What shall it be?"

"It's up to you," Blank told her. "We won't need it for long, though."

"Umm..." Garnet muttered. "Are we going to go to back to Lindblum?"

Blank really hoped the question wouldn't come up, as he is afraid she might tell Steiner, who would almost definitely tell someone. "Geez... does it really matter?"

"Why did tantalus try to capture me at the castle?" the princess pressed on. "To me, it really does matter."

"I can't tell you," Blank answered. "I mean, if you were to escape and tell people, including your mother, war might break out."

"I suppose it makes sense..." Garnet muttered.

"Now you tell me some stuff," Blank told her, making her very surprised. "And answer them better then I answered yours," the princess covered her mouth with her palm and giggled, "Why did you want to get on the ship?"

"..." the princess looked down at her feet.

"If we didn't crash, we would have made it to Lindblum," Blank told her. "Is that why? You wanted to go to Lindblum?"

"..." she was silent again, and looked up at his face. "Please... I can not tell you why... but please bring me to Lindblum..."

Blank was glad, though he was able to perfectly hide it, she wants to go where he wants to take her. "I will," Blank silently answered.

"Oh thank you!" the princess exclaimed, and looked like she might jump up into Blank's arms and deeply hug him.

"It's alright," Blank shrugged. "But it may take a while..."

"That's fine," the princess smiled. "As long as we get there, it'll be fine."

"Well," Blank said after a moment of silence. "We should head out, we have a long day ahead of us."

"Alright," the princess nodded. "I shall wake up Steiner, you may wake up Vivi."

"Alright," Blank nodded, and they both walked over to the two sleeping men. Blank knelt down and shook the small black mage awake.

"Mmm..." the little mage muttered.

"Wake up, Vivi," Blank silently spoke.

The mage then slowly opened his eyes, and said, "Mornin' Blank..."

"Get up, Vivi, we're going to start up, we have a long day ahead of us," Blank told the little mage.

"Where are we going?" the little mage asked as he sat up.

"We're going to the South Gate and then to Ice Cavern," Blank told him.

"Ice Cavern?" the mage asked.

"Yeah, you know anything about it?" Blank asked, wanting to know anything about it.

"My grandpa told me that it would take us above the mist," Vivi answered.

"Oh really..." Blank thought. "Well, that's good. Hopefully that means that we'll have to fight few enemies."

"Hopefully," the little mage added as he stood up and grabbed his staff. Blank looked over and saw that Steiner was ready to go as well, so he and the rest of his team started off on their journey.

Immediately his was annoyed, the princess and Vivi were very slow, much slower then he suspected, and Steiner stayed back with the princess. So, to keep the group together, Blank had to walk very slowly. Aw geez, Blank sighed, this is going to take forever...

They continued traveling, when they encountered three purple rat creatures, and immediately Blank and Steiner drew their swords, Vivi rose his staff, as if trying to summon a spell, and Garnet pulled out a staff of her own. "That is a Mu!" Garnet cried.

"How do you know this?!" Blank asked, not meanly, but questionably.

"The princess has studied creatures for many years!" Steiner shouted. "Now, princess, allow me to slay this beast!"

"No!" Garnet shouted. "I shall fight as well!"

"We have to protect you!" Blank told her. "You can't fight!"

"Watch me!" the princess shouted. She then ran up to the mu and smacked the creature across the face with her staff. It fell back, but then got right back up and growled at the princess, then attempted to tackle her. However, before the beast could reach her, Steiner jumped in front of her and sliced his sword into the rat beast's skull. Blood flowed from it's new wound, and the beast fell limp, however, the other mu then tackled Steiner to the ground.

Blank then rushed up to the beast atop his companion, and sliced it's stomach, causing it to fly off Steiner and fall to the ground. It was rapidly losing blood, but it was still able to stand on it's four legs, and attempted to tackle Blank. "FIRE!!!" Vivi shouted, and the beast exploded into flames in mid air. Blank then grabbed the princess's wrist and jumped out of the way. The inflamed beast then fell on the ground where Garnet was standing. The beast roared out once more time before his body stopped shifting and it fell silent except for the roar of the flames.

"You see, princess?" Steiner said as he stood up, wiping off the blood on his armor. "If it had not been for me, you would have been injured. A battlefield is a very dangerous place..."

"I know that, Steiner," the princess told him. "But I was training real hard before tantalus came. I was training for battles like this."

"I just do not believe you are fit for a battlefield," the knight told her. "It is very dangerous and I will be in serious trouble if you were to be injured."

The princess sighed and turned to Blank, "What do you think, Blank?"

"I thought that you were pretty good in a fight," Blank told her, making her smile. "And with a little training, you may almost be as good as us, but the battlefield is very dangerous, and I don't want you to get hurt..."

"Oh come on!" Garnet cried. "Even you agree with Steiner!"

"Actually I think you should be able to fight," Blank informed her, making her smile even wider. "But it is dangerous."

"Well... yeah..." the princess muttered. "But I trained for this..."

"How about this," Blank proposed. "You can fight, but Steiner, Vivi, and myself will protect you as much as we can."

"That works," Garnet nodded. "Is that ok with you, Steiner?"

"I suppose..." Steiner said, slightly annoyed.

"What about you, Vivi?" Garnet asked. The three looked over to where Vivi was, and saw that he was crouching over the Mu that was killed by Steiner.

"Do you think this is edible?" Vivi asked.

Garnet chuckled and answered, "Yes, but I think we may get something a little better at the South Gate."

"..." Vivi stared at the fallen beast. "I'm hungry..."

"Don't worry, Vivi," Blank told the little mage. "Once we get to the South Gate, we'll get something to eat... assuming someone's there..."

"What do you mean?" Garnet asked.

"Well, last I heard the South Gate was closed," Blank told the princess. "So I wouldn't be surprised if noone was there."

"Why has it closed?" Garnet asked, however all three were quiet.

"Let's go," Blank instead said, and they continued traveling, Garnet slightly curious why noone answered her question, though to Blank it looked like she understood.

They traveled for about another two hours, encountering several of the Mus along the way though nothing even halfway threatening as they only came in groups of three. As they were beginning to reach the South Gate a heavy scent of something Garnet nor Vivi could quite know, but Blank and Steiner fully knew what the scent was.

It was blood.

They finally reached the South Gate, where the top of the gate was crushed and there was a large hole in the center of the gate, though not large enough for anyone, except possibly Vivi. The wall around the mighty door was crushed as well and there were red stains across the wall. Also, the scent was even stronger, so strong Garnet nearly gagged. "Are you alright, Princess?!" Steiner immediately asked.

"I'm fine," she answered as she covered her mouth. "It's just this smell..."

"How about you and Steiner go wait out there," Blank proposed. "Vivi and I'll get all the stuff we need."

"Alright," Garnet answered and she and Steiner quickly left the scene, leaving only Blank and Vivi. The two walked up to the destroyed door, and Blank stuck his head through the large hole, and saw several bodies lying on the ground. He also saw one woman who wore a beautiful dress, except for the stains of blood on it, and she had long blond hair.

"Hey!" Blank called. The woman turned around and Blank saw that she had a huge scar covering her right eye and that her left eye was blood shot. Now, Blank saw, she was no where near beautiful, though she may have once been, but he was in no position to jest, he had wounds all across his body. "Could we buy some items?"

She quickly walked up to the hole and asked, "What would you like?"

"Uhh..." Blank muttered. "Well... we would like some canned foods..."

"We have plenty of canned peas and beans," the woman quickly spoke.

"Alright, we'll have about... twenty of each," Blank told her, and she seemed to note it in her head. "And then... do you have any clothes?"

"We have several colored jeans and several muscle shirts," the woman quickly spoke once more.

"Do you have black jeans and a white muscle shirt?" Blank asked, as he normally wore that clothing.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Then I'll have a large bag and a tent and that'll be all we need," Blank said and reached into his pocket and pulled out several gil. "How much will it cost?"

"Uhh..." she calculated in her head. "Three hundred gil."

Blank was surprised at the cost and asked, "Three hundred gil?!"

"I'm sorry, but I need the money," the woman told him. "Alexandrians came and killed everyone!" she then began to bawl, clasping her face in her hands, and Blank could nearly see the water drip from her hands.

Blank then reached his arm through the hole and softly grasped her shoulder, "It's ok," Blank softly told the woman. "I'm sure everything will be alright..."

"How?!" the woman cried. "How can everything be alright?! They took everything from me! My friends, my life, my eye... and Frank!"

Blank, assuming Frank was her lover, began to rub her shoulder and said, "There are many other men in this world. You'll find one for you."

She then showed her face again, and looked at Blank's belt, and, Blank could tell, she would have been looking into his eyes if she could. "Thank you," she wryly smiled, though her huge gash made it barely visible.

"Here's your three hundred gil," Blank handed her the money, but she didn't accept it, waving her hand to him.

"It's free," she told Blank. "Thank you for your comfort, thank you so, so much. I will live this place and start a real business elsewhere."

"Are you sure?" Blank asked once more.

"Of course," the woman told him, then walked away, but returned a moment later with two paper bags, full of cans of peas and beans, and Blank's knew clothes. "Here you go," the woman gladly gave Blank the bag.

"Thank you," Blank said, taking the bags from her, then saw her walk away and he and Vivi, and gave the bags to Vivi, after taking his clothes out. "Now, Vivi, take these bags to the other's and I'm going to change into my new clothes.

"Alright," Vivi nodded and ran off to the others. Blank then went against the wall, and quickly changed into his new clothes. The black jeans were very comfortable and perfect size, but his white muscle shirt was a little big, hanging off his chest.

About five minutes later, Blank came to the people, now dressed in his white muscle shirt and black jeans, and had a large brown pack on his back, full of the items he just received for free. "Nice new clothes," Garnet told him.

"Thanks," Blank grinned, pulling on his shirt. "The shirt's a little big, but it's fine."

"I shall take the bag!" Steiner said and immediately took the huge pack off Blank and put it on his own.

"Whatever," Blank shrugged.

"Well, shall we start off?" Steiner asked.

"Alright," Blank nodded. They again started off, this time heading to Ice Cavern, which would lead them to Dali. They continued crossing the plains, encountering a couple of Mus and getting them all much stronger, specifically Garnet and Vivi, who had just begun fighting. It took them about another two hours, with Garnet, Vivi, and Steiner still walking slowly, but they were finally able to make it to Ice Cavern.

"Here we are," Blank said, knowing that it would probably be a long ways and it would be a lot of climbing in the cavern, but he hoped that Garnet and Vivi were able to follow closely enough behind. Already, Blank could tell why they call it Ice Cavern, as Blank could already feel the cold air coming off of the cavern. Garnet seemed more excited then cold, as she clasped her hands together and slightly jumped up.

"Wow," the gorgeous princess smiled. "I've heard of this place, and I've heard that it is very beautiful inside. I cannot wait!"

"KUPO!!!" they could hear off to the distance. Blank and the others looked over and saw a moogle rushing to them at a still unbelievable speed. "Wait, kupo!" The moogle then finally made it to them, and didn't even stop to pant.

"Did you find tantalus?" Blank asked the cute little moogle.

"Yeah," the moogle nodded. "They are out of the forest, kupo!"

"They made it out?!" Blank exclaimed, and felt like leaping for joy.

"Yeah, kupo," the moogle nodded and pulled a letter out of an area Blank still wasn't sure where it was. "They also gave you this letter."

Blank quickly opened the letter and began reading it, though didn't speak aloud, as so noone would know where he must bring the princess.

Dear Blank,

This lil moogle tells me ya escaped. Good for ya! However, I also heard about Zidane. Now didn't I tell ya to take care of that lil guy?! Oh well. Don't worry about him, we'll find a cure for him when we get back to Lindblum. And for the 'person' you must bring her to Lindblum, and give her to the regent.

Once you deliver the 'person', wait at the hideout until we come back. Then we can help Zidane together.

See ya, Boss

"What does it say?" Garnet asked after she was certain that Blank had finished reading the letter.

"Nothing much," Blank answered, folding the paper and putting it in his pocket. "It basically said that they escaped from Evil Forest and that once they return to Lindblum they will start searching for a cure for Zidane."

"Oh..." Garnet nodded. "Well... at least Zidane will be freed."

"Anything else for me to do?" the little moogle asked.

"No," Blank shook his head at the little moogle. "If we need anything, we'll call you on the moogle flute."

"Alright," the moogle nodded then ran off at his supersonic speed.

"Well... shall we go in?" Garnet asked, partly full of anxiety, though she tried, and failed, to hide it.

Blank sighed, not wanting to go into the cavern, as he knew that he would be colder then he's been in a long time... "Alright..." Blank sighed. "I guess we should... but we should eat some of this food first."

"Yeah!" Vivi immediately leapt up in a sort of cheer.

Garnet covered her mouth and chuckled, but then agreed, "I suppose it would be wise."

"If the princess wishes it," Steiner immediately spoke, "Then we shall feast!"

"Alright..." Blank nodded. "We'll have to start another fire then..."

"Nonsense!" Steiner exclaimed. "We shall have Master Vivi light the cans with his black magic!"

"That ok with you, Vivi?" Blank asked the little mage who looked unconfident.

"I-I guess..." Vivi muttered and walked up to Steiner, who took out four cans of beans. Steiner placed the cans on the ground and took a step back, while Vivi closed his eyes and summoned a fire spell like he did to start the fire at the campsite. The cans almost bursted open, or at least it seemed that it might have, but they didn't.

Blank then took out his sword and sliced a can of beans a little below the top, and handed it to the princess, who looked confused. "What is the matter, Princess?" Steiner asked the moment he noticed the look on the woman's face.

"Uhh... it is just that... what shall I eat it with?" Garnet asked.

"We shall find you silverware!" Steiner immediately exclaimed.

"No way," Blank instantly said. "If we stay here longer then we have to, we may be stuck in Ice Cavern during the night, and who knows how cold it could get during the night?" Blank then walked over to the princess, "You'll have to just swallow it from the can for now. It hopefully won't last too long..."

"I... I suppose..." Garnet nodded, and the took a little sip, and slightly smiled, however Blank received angry looks from Steiner, but he didn't care much.

Blank then cut off the tops of the other three cans, and gave them to the team members, and swallowed the hot beans that had very little taste but it was the first thing they had to eat all day, so they all quickly finished. Now finished with their meals, they ventured into the freezing cavern...


That was chapter 2!

How did you like it?

PLEASE REVIEW!

Also, I realize that in the first chapter Steiner seemed calmer, but I'll make him normal again...

And tell me what I should name Garnet, since I won't really have a good excuse for Dagger... Five reviews for the name before I decide.