Disclaimer: I don't own final fantasy IX or any of it's characters.
I hope you've liked the previous chapter and this one.
Once you finish reading, PLEASE REVIEW!!!
Chapter Four: The Mysterious Village, Dali
The sun rose early, allowing the team to get an early start to Dali and, hopefully, find a way to get to Lindblum. The team traveled a long ways, fighting many large spider beasts and snakes along the way making Blank realize he was much stronger then when he originally started out. Blank could tell that the spider beasts were strong but he was able to battle them easily enough. Also, he was able to stand against a black mage, or waltz or whatever that voice called it, and a gigantic sealion at the same time.
They managed to cross the plain easily enough and reach the simple village fairly early, giving the team enough time to find a way to Lindblum early enough. "We're finally here!" Claire immediately exclaimed, stretching her arms.
"Yeah, it's been a long trip," Blank nodded. "But we're almost there, so it shouldn't be too much longer."
"Almost where?!" Steiner exclaimed. "I think it's time you tell us where your planning to take us!"
"..." Blank fell silent, and thought about the situation. "We're headed to Lindblum."
"Really?!" Claire cried, full of joy.
"Yeah," Blank nodded.
"Lindblum?" Steiner wondered. "... The regent wouldn't let terrorists in his kingdom..."
"I know," Blank sighed, rolling his eyes. "Now, if you tell anyone..."
"I shall do as the prin... missus asks!" Steiner exclaimed, rushing away from the team.
"Hey wait!" Blank shouted, but it was too late, Steiner was long gone.
"Do you know anything about this town, Blank?" Claire asked.
"I seem to remember it... but not that much," Blank answered. "I think there's a farm here, and most of the people work there."
"Huh..." Claire muttered, and walked away.
"Hey wait!" Blank shouted.
"What is it?" Claire asked.
"Where are you going?" Blank asked. "You can't just go walking off!"
"And why not?" Claire asked, then walked close to Blank, and whispered to him, "It's a good opportunity to learn how to speak like common villagers."
"I guess..." Blank sighed, and then she ran off, similar to Steiner. "Hey wait!" Blank shouted, but she, too, was long gone.
"... I think I'm going to look at the windmill," Vivi said, and began to walk away.
"Wait a minute, I wanna talk to you, Vivi," Blank said, and was able to stop the little mage.
"Alright," Vivi nodded, and walked over to Blank. "What is it?"
"I don't want to drag you deeper into this," Blank began. "Where do you live?"
"I live near Treno," Vivi answered.
"Oh..." Blank muttered. "That's a ways away still... Well, if you want to leave the group and head home, that's fine."
"I'll think about it," Vivi answered, and rushed off to the windmill.
"Aww geez..." Blank muttered. "I should probably find Claire..."
Just then, a man who had black hair that looked nearly identical to Blank's except it was thinner and he had a large retraining hairline on both corners of his forehead. The man had black pants with a long katana sheath attached to his belt, and a white undershirt and a long black overcoat. The man had a large scar diagonally across his face, right between his eyes (AN: the scar is supposed to look like Squall's from FF8), and had another scar on his left check.
The man walked up to Blank, standing about five inches taller then the thief, and then asked after a minute, "... would you be... Kyle?"
"Kyle?" Blank asked the man who looked vaguely familiar. "No, my name's Blank."
"Oh... sorry..." the man nodded, and then left the town.
"Weird..." Blank muttered, then ran off to find Claire.
He looked around and saw Vivi looking up at the windmill, but then the little mage turned and said "Hey Blank!"
"Hey, Vivi," Blank responded. "Have you seen Claire?"
"No," Vivi shook his head. "But I heard this... weird sound..."
"A weird sound?" Blank asked. "Like what?"
"A... kweh sound..." Vivi muttered.
"Chocobos make a kweh sound..." Blank told the mage. They were then silent a minute, trying to hear the sound, but the sound didn't come. "Well I gotta go..."
As soon as Blank left, Vivi heard the sound again, "Chocobo?!" and then a man ran up from behind the mage, and took him away.
Steiner walked through the woman and came across the local pub and he knew that pubs are prime sources of information, so he stepped inside. Once inside, a beautiful young woman, about the same age as Claire, looked up at the knight and asked, "May I help you?"
"Yes, I..." Steiner began but then noticed the woman seemed to be having trouble with a few boxes. "Uhh, may I help you with those boxes?"
"If you want to..." the young dutiful woman answered.
Claire walked through the town and reached the farm which only had one woman working in it. Claire looked around, to see if there was another farm where most the people worked, but couldn't find another one, so Claire walked up to the woman.
"Umm... what are you doing?" Claire asked.
"I'm killin' the bugs!" the old woman quickly answered.
Killin' Claire thought, making a mental note of it. "Why?"
"Why?!" the old woman cried. "'Cause the bugs eat the crops, that's why!"
"... oh..." Claire muttered.
"There's one now!" the old woman exclaimed, and a large bug, an oglop Claire remembered they were called, flew threw the air and Claire managed to catch it.
"Interesting..." Claire muttered, studying the bug.
"That's weird, most girls are afraid of oglops..." the old woman muttered.
Blank told me to act like a normal girl, Claire remembered. Ok... on there... one... two... three! "AHH!" Claire shouted and threw the oglop up in the air, then ran away from the farm.
Blank finally reached the farm and, to his surprise, he found only one old woman working on the farm. That's weird... Blank thought. I thought there were more people working on the farm... and that it was way bigger... ... ... now that I think about it, the only adults I've seen is this woman, that guy who thought I was someone else... ... ... what's up with this town?
"Another visitor?!" the old woman laughed. "You guys sure are strange!"
"Another? Strange?" Blank asked. "Did you see another visitor?"
"Yeah!" the woman nodded. "A weird girl. She ran off back to the town."
"Damn it..." Blank muttered, and rushed back to the town.
Claire walked through the town, and then stepped inside the item shop, in hopes that she might be able to hear a conversation. Inside, she saw some rare items up against the wall, but decided to act normal, and went up to the counter. "May I help you?" the woman at the counter asked.
"Umm... not really," Claire answered. "I would just like to... talk..."
"Talk?" the woman asked, as if not understanding it. "About what?"
"I do not know," Claire shrugged. "How about-"
"Auntie!" a little boy ran in.
"Kid!" the woman exclaimed. "Don't you see I'm with a customer?!"
"Oh, it is ok!" Garnet immediately said. "I can simply wait here!"
"Thank's lady!" the kid said. "So anyway-"
Blank walked through the town and couldn't find Claire, so he decided to head to the item shop and pick up some food and items. Blank walked in and saw Claire looking at some items on the wall, so he walked up to her. "Hey," Blank said.
Claire turned around and smiled at Blank, "Oh, hey Blank!"
"Wow!" Blank almost shouted, getting the owner's attention. Blank then whispered to Claire, "You're doing great!"
"Thanks," Claire grinned.
"How about you go get a room at the inn," Blank told her. "I'll get some items and get Vivi and Steiner."
"Oh, alright," Claire nodded, and then rushed out of the item shop.
Blank then went to the counter and sold the items he found in Ice Cavern, then ordered food and items and weapons that they may and probably will need eventually.
Steiner finally finished helping the dutiful young woman, and then said, "All work is complete!"
"Oh... ok," the young woman nodded.
"Anything else for me to do?" Steiner asked.
"No..." the woman nodded.
"Very well," Steiner nodded, then asked, "Where is your father? Or any other adults for that matter?"
"Most of the adults don't get back to the village until late," the woman answered. "And there is an old woman who works on the farm, but she isn't very friendly anymore. And there's a man who protects the village from monsters, but who knows how far away he is."
"Oh..." Steiner muttered. "Well, I need not ask an adult! I shall ask you! What methods of trade does this village have?"
"Um... I can't tell you..." the woman silently told them.
"Please!" Steiner begged. "I must send someone of importance to the castle!"
"Well... I suppose I can tell you then... some people cross the gate, but most people trade with the airship," the woman answered.
"An airship?" Steiner asked the young woman. "Is there any people who may tell me more about the airship?"
"An old man named Morid lives a little ways from the town," the young woman answered. "He can tell you more about the airship."
"Thank you!" Steiner saluted.
"No, thank you," the woman responded, and then Steiner rushed out of the pub.
Blank traveled around the town, checking at the windmill several times, and couldn't find Vivi or Steiner. Where the hell are they?! Blank thought. Well, I guess Claire and I could search for a way to Lindblum by ourselves...
So, Blank headed back to the inn and saw a man who was asleep at his desk. Blank looked around, and saw a single door, so he walked up to it and knocked, and Claire quickly opened the door. Blank walked into the small room, which barely had enough room for the four beds, and they began their conversation.
"Where's Vivi?" Claire asked.
"Couldn't find him," Blank sighed.
"What about Steiner?" Claire asked once more.
"Couldn't find him, either," Blank shrugged.
"I'm worried about Vivi..." Claire muttered. "Steiner can take care of himself, but Vivi's just a kid..."
"I did tell Vivi that he could leave if he wanted," Blank told her. "He said he lived near Treno, and the gate outside fo the village brings you there."
"But you need a gate pass," Claire told him.
"Maybe he had one," Blank shrugged. "But, anyway, I was thinking that we could find a way through the gate ourselves."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Yeah," Blank chuckled. "The tantalus guys and I did this whenever we needed to get past security..."
"I need help!" Steiner shouted to the old man who lived in a small mountain right outside of the town.
"... looks like the air's right..." the old man muttered and began to travel down the mountain, and Steiner instantly followed, shouting that he needed help, but the old man ignored him. Steiner followed the old man down to the mountain and into a very small home. The man poured two cups of coffee, then asked "Coffee?" the old man offered Steiner a cup full of coffee.
"Oh, thank you," Steiner nodded and graciously took the cup of coffee and sipped from the cup which was delicious but Steiner then snapped back to his original quest. "This is not important! I must know, when is the airship coming?!"
"The airship's already here," the old man said.
"Oh... thank you!" Steiner exclaimed and saluted then rushed out of the very small home.
"And that's how we'll get past the guards!" Blank finished.
"Interesting," Claire nodded. "... I'm worried... let's try and find Steiner and Vivi again..."
"Good idea," Blank nodded, and they left from the inn. Blank and Claire walked through the little village until they reached the place where Vivi was standing. "I last saw Vivi here," Blank told the princess. "He said he heard a chocobo..."
Suddenly, they could hear whimpering.
"... I hear someone whimpering..." Claire told Blank.
"Yeah, me too..." Blank nodded, when they heard someone whimpering again. "... Vivi...?"
"Y-yeah..." the little mage whimpered.
"Where are you, Vivi?!" Blank shouted through a tube which he suspected where Vivi's voice was coming from.
"T-they took me underground and told me to stay quiet," Vivi whimpered.
"Terrible!" Claire exclaimed. "Who did this to you?!"
"Some adults from the village..." Vivi whimpered.
"Stay where you are, Vivi," Blank ordered. "We're coming."
"O-ok," Vivi responded.
"Let's go," Blank said, and they began searching the village for a way underground.
"I did think it was strange," Claire said. "There are only a few adults in the village..."
"I know," Blank nodded. "I thought that they all worked on the farm..."
"That little thing?" Claire asked.
"It was bigger..." Blank muttered. "But that had to have been a long time ago... anyway, let's check that building next to the windmill."
"Alright," Claire nodded. They walked into the right door of the building and saw a very suspicious circular thing in the ground. Blank walked over to it and easily lifted it, revealing the not-so-
surprising entrance to what looked like an underground storage facility. Blank and Claire climbed down into the underground storage facility, and then went down a short hallway.
They then reached a new area that had a large barrel with a symbol that looked like a cross, and then a small shack where it sounded like some people were. Next to it was a chocobo surrounded by a fence and a well, that had a tube on the top of it that probably lead to the tube that Blank and Claire could hear Vivi out of. "What was it doing above there?" one man asked.
"I don't know," another man answered. "But who cares?"
While Blank was paying attention to the men, Claire was looking at the barrel, this symbol... Claire thought.
"Should we put it in today's shipment?" another man asked.
"Of course," a man answered. "Now let's go." The men began walking out with someone who Blank and Claire immediately recognized to be Vivi.
"Those bastards!" Blank hissed and drew his sword, however, Claire grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. "Hey?! What are you doing?!"
When they were back in the hallway Claire explained, "Blank... please don't start a fight just yet..."
"What do you mean?" Blank asked. "They have Vivi!"
"I know... but those barrels..." Claire sighed. "They... have the symbol of Alexandria on them... so please don't do anything just yet..."
"Alright," Blank nodded. "But if Vivi gets in any trouble..."
"Alright, alright," Claire nodded. "But if Vivi gets in any trouble, I won't hesitate to start a fight..."
"I agree with that," Claire nodded. "I'll help if it comes to that... but only if it comes to that..."
"Alright," Blank nodded. "Now let's go." The two went back into the room, and then went further, where they saw many crates and boxes. The two made there way through when they saw a ghost that was blue and had a red top that looked almost like hair.
"What is that?!" Claire cried.
"An enemy!" Blank shouted and the two drew their weapons, when about three other appeared out of seemingly nowhere. Blank rushed up and chopped one with his mighty blade, but he could sense two more creeping up behind him, one on each side. Blank turned and cut one in half, however, he could then feel that another one was getting ready to set a spell. So, to try and prevent it, Blank quickly turned but he could see a fire ball heading towards him. He chopped it with his sword, and then the ghost was hit in the head with the thick end of Claire's staff.
Claire then hit it once more, making it fall, and then she jumped up and hit another one right in it's face. Damn! Blank thought. She has gotten good to... and beautiful... dammit Blank!!! Blank cursed to himself for even dreaming of being with the beautiful princess, as she destroyed another one of the ghosts.
"You're... getting good," Blank said, almost mesmerized by her beauty.
"Thanks," Claire grinned. "But, any skill I have I probably got from you."
"I don't know about that," Blank grinned, then shook his head, trying to stop himself from being like Zidane and flirt with a woman who is way out of his liege. "Let's keep going. Hopefully, Vivi won't be much further ahead."
"Let's hope," Claire agreed. "This place is starting to creep me out."
"Yeah," Blank nodded. The two then continued heading through the underground storage facility, where they saw some more crates and a strange machine that had eggs on it. "What is that?" Blank asked.
"I don't know..." Claire muttered when, suddenly, they could both hear whimpering. "Do you hear... whimpering?"
"Yeah..." Blank muttered, then, slightly louder, he said, "Vivi?"
"Blank?!" they could hear.
"Where are you?!" Blank shouted.
"I'm... in a crate..." Vivi answered.
"A crate?!" Blank asked.
Claire walked up to a crate and said, "I think he's in this one..."
Blank walked over and was able to tear off the cover of it and let the little black mage free. "Why did you let them do that to you?" Blank asked.
"I... didn't really have a choice..." Vivi sighed.
"You're a black mage!" Blank exclaimed. "You have awesome powers! You could take on a hundred of these villagers!"
"Y-yeah..." Vivi nodded. "But... they pushed me in..."
"Well... next time tell them off," Blank told the young, powerful mage. "Say like... get your hands off me! Or something like that... it empowers you and surprises your opponent."
Get your hands off me? Claire memorized.
"A-alright, thanks," Vivi nodded.
"Don't worry about it," Blank shrugged. "Besides, you should thank Baku. He's the one who taught me."
"Oh... ok," Vivi nodded.
"Uhh... well, Vivi," Blank scratched the back of his head. "We kinda want to investigate a little more, so, if you want, you could go back to the inn..."
"No, no," Vivi instantly interrupted. "I wanna go further too. Like, what is that?!" Vivi asked, pointing to the eggs. "And behind the door, it looks like mist is coming out of it."
"Yeah," Blank nodded. "I guess then, if your sure you want to come, we should be going."
"Alright," Vivi and Claire nodded. The three then ventured over to the door, and after Blank was indeed certain that it was mist, Blank pushed the door open. And immediately they were attacked by four more ghosts.
Blank was hit by a surprise attack, as all four ghosts immediately tackled into him, however Claire and Vivi had more time to prepare. Claire immediately summoned a cure spell for Blank, and he stood once more and drew his sword, slicing through one of the ghosts. Vivi, meanwhile, called a blizzard spell on one of the ghosts, which made it immediately vanish to the next world, if there is one. Claire then smacked one of the ghosts down to the ground, and hit it once more time, making sure it would be finished.
Blank then sliced through the remaining demon, making it instantly vanish to whatever may be next. "That was... surprising..." Blank muttered.
"Yeah," Claire nodded, as a huge gust of mist bursted through the now open door. "Look at all this mist..."
"Geez... what's in there?" Blank asked.
"Let's find out," Vivi said.
"Alright," Blank nodded, and walked into the new room. This room was very small, or at least from what they could see through the mist. The three carefully walked through the room, and then saw a huge machine and mist pumped out of it.
"What is this?" Vivi asked.
"It looks like the mist machine on the Prima Vista..." Blank muttered.
"I don't understand..." Claire muttered. "Why would they need a mist machine in an underground storage facility?"
"... I don't think this is an ordinary storage facility..." Blank muttered.
"Let's keep going," Claire suggested. "I don't like this place..."
"Yeah," Vivi nodded. "I really don't like this place..."
"Yeah," Blank nodded. "Let's get outta here."
The three left the room, and continued down the place and then saw eggs moving next to them on a conveyer belt, and moving further down the facility. "Are this eggs?" Claire asked.
"Yeah..." Blank nodded.
"What would they be making here?" Vivi shuddered.
"I heard that monsters are made out of the mist..." Blank muttered. "So... they might be making... monsters...?"
"Why?" Claire asked. "And what does this have to do with my mother?"
"I don't know..." Blank muttered. "Maybe we'll find out if we keep going..." So, the three continued when Blank heard a cracking noise, and he thought that the eggs might be cracking... if it's possible. The three then continued into the next room...
"W-what is this?!" Vivi exclaimed while he and Claire had their hands covering their mouths.
"Vivi..." Blank muttered, looking up at the dolls that looked nearly identically like Vivi. "What's going on?"
"M-mother..." Claire muttered. "W-what are you... trying to do?!"
Suddenly, Blank heard someone talking to another behind him, "Guys!" Blank harshly whispered. "We have to go! Someone's coming!"
"Wh-what should I do...?" Claire muttered.
"Sorry!" Blank exclaimed, he grabbed Vivi and Claire by the wrist and rushed them into some dome where the dolls where going to.
"Did you say somethin'?!" Blank, Claire, and Vivi heard someone say outside, while about three other voices responded, "no."
"How are we supposed to get out of here?" Claire asked Blank.
"I don't know," Blank responded. "I don't even know what's happening in here..."
"I think they're putting the..." Vivi muttered, seeming to try to find the right word. "The uhh... where they go into boxes..."
"Really?" Blank asked, and felt a little towards the center of the dome, where he felt something wooden pass by. When the next one came, the conveyer belt stopped, Blank felt and felt that the mages were being put into the box through the top, and then it continued going. "Alright," Blank said, "I have a plan, we'll get into these boxes and go into the next room. I'll go first, you guys come after me, ok?"
Blank couldn't see them, but he nearly felt them nodding their heads, so, when the next box, which Blank discovered was like a coffin that Vivi was in earlier, Blank leapt in. Blank closed his eyes, in hopes of being less noticeable, when he suddenly felt a plate of wood to fall on the top of the coffin, and then the conveyer belt continued. Blank felt the thing continue, stopping occasionally, until it fell off the conveyer belt and into something else that made a chunk sound. After a while, he heard a few other chunk sounds outside of his coffin, until he heard someone hammering something. Eventually, the coffin, or, perhaps, whatever the coffin was inside, until it stopped once more...
"Ahh!" Steiner proclaimed, pointing towards the massive cargo ship a little ways ahead. "There is the cargo ship!" Steiner began rushing towards it, which was much closer to the town then he thought it would be, when some men who were working there went into some sort of door, which quickly shut behind them. Steiner shrugged it off, but found it strange once he rushed up to a large barrel that had an Alexandrian symbol on it. Steiner was about to walk past a barrel, then suddenly shook. "Wha..." Steiner muttered, examining the strange barrel. "This is certainly strange..."
Steiner continued examining the barrel when it shook another and he heard someone mumble something, but Steiner couldn't even dreaming of understanding what was spoken. Steiner, who was trained to be prepared for almost anything, drew his sword in a defensive position, expecting the people to leap from the barrel and possibly attack the knight. However, greatly to his surprise, Blank, Claire, and Vivi leapt out of the barrel, making Steiner stumble back.
"Steiner?" Claire asked, unsure why he had drew his sword and what he was doing there.
"Princess?!" Steiner exclaimed. "Just what is going on here?!"
"Her name's Claire!" Blank shouted.
"What is going on?!" Steiner shouted, jumping in frustration.
"We'll tell ya later," Blank told the knight. "Right now, we have to-"
"Stop right there!" Something cried out in the distance. Everyone leapt towards the voice's direction, and saw a black waltz, like the one Blank saw in Ice Cavern, except this one seemed younger and they all felt it was stronger.
"You?!" Blank shouted. "Th-this is a black waltz!"
"Are you the one who defeated number one?" the wizard asked. "It matters not, my power, magic, and speed is far superior to number one's! Now, release the princess and I shall return her to the castle!"
"It is I, Steiner, who shall bring the princess back to the castle!" Steiner bellowed.
"I do not care," the black waltz sneered. "I shall slay you all!"
Immediately, Blank, Vivi, and Claire drew their weapons as Steiner had, and Blank rushed up to the powerful waltz, and slashed him across his stomach, causing some black blood to leak through the shirt, which merely made the wizard laugh. Next, Vivi called upon his thunder spell, which lightly hit the black waltz.
"This is how you use thunder!" the black waltz bellowed, calling upon a much stronger thunder spell, which directly hit Vivi, making the little mage drop to the ground.
"Master Vivi!" Steiner shouted. "That... was inexcusable!" While Claire quickly summoned a cure spell, to help the little mage back up, Steiner rushed up to the wizard, and made a wound identical to the one Blank made, except in a slightly different area on his chest, which also made the wizard laugh.
"Steiner!" Vivi shouted. "I have an idea! I'll use the magic sword idea you had! But... it'll take a little while..."
"I can hold him off!" Blank shouted. Blank then instantly rushed up and, the black waltz realizing that it would be just him and Blank, decided to play with his opponent. Blank rushed up and attempted to stab the beast, however, using it's awesome swiftness, it flew back, and laughed. Blank tried again, only to get the same results.
"Your speed is nothing compared to mine!" the black mage laughed. "Hand over the princess to me!"
"Never!" Blank shouted, when he felt Claire casting a spell on him, which made him shin with a dull red glow (A/N: this is haste, just so you know, and I realize that she doesn't and never does have hast, but just go along with it). Blank, using quick newfound speed which certainly had something to do with the spell Claire cast on him, and was able to match the wizard's speed, and slice his stomach once more.
"Amazing," the wizard laughed. "You are now able to match my speed, but what of my power?!" Suddenly, he rose his hand high in the air, and a thick bolt of lightning, identical to the one he summoned on Vivi, struck Blank, making the thief stagger back, but not quite unconscious, and Claire quickly healed him with a cure.
"I'm ready!" Vivi cried.
"Excellent, master Vivi!" Steiner shouted, and rushed up to the mage. Steiner leapt in the air and rose his sword high in the air, and then Vivi used a fire ball appear in his hands. The fire ball collided with the top of Steiner's sword, making it glitter with fire, and then Steiner dug his sword into shoulder of the beast, and then the fire spell exploded within the black waltz, making him fall dead to the ground.
"How many of these are there?!" Steiner whined as the team put away their weapons.
"One more," Blank answered. "Someone told me tha-"
Just then, the waltz leapt back up and laughed, "You think a simple spell like that will defeat me?! Prepare to suffer my true power!" The wizard rose his hands, and a huge ball of thunder appeared there. However, the wizard's eyes suddenly widened, as if surprised, and he looked down along with the rest of the team, to see a long and thin katana sticking through his stomach. "W-what is happening?! This can't be happening! Princess!!!" the black waltz cried, when the thunder ball vanished, and the creature fell off the katana and to the ground.
Behind the now dead black waltz was the man who Blank recognized to be the man who mistook him for someone else when he first arrived in Dali. Immediately, the team redrew their weapons, realizing the power and skill of this man, and Blank called, "Who are you?! Friend or foe?!"
"That is up to you," the man said coolly. He wiped his katana against the ground, to get the strangely black blood off it, and then put it in his sheath. "Now," the man gazed at Claire, "You would be princess Garnet, correct?"
"I..." Claire mumbled.
"No," Blank quickly said. "Her name is Claire... she lives in Lindblum, so we're going to bring her back."
"Don't lie to me," the man said in his deep almost frightening voice. "You are Princess Garnet... correct?"
"..." Steiner starred at the man. "I believe I know you from somewhere..."
"Who cares?!" the man impatiently responded. "I know you are Princess Garnet! Now tell me, why are you going to Lindblum?!"
"It has nothing to do with you!" Blank shouted. "Now get the hell outta here!"
"You fool, I want to assist you," the man snarled. "Just explain to me why you wish to go to Lindblum!"
"I have to speak with the regent!" Claire shouted. "Now, who are you?"
"... My name is Felix," the man answered. "I protect Dali from the beasts that form from the mist. I, too, wish to go to Lindblum. And, in exchange for you letting me go with you, I shall protect the princess along the way."
"..." Blank looked at the man, unsure if he should be able to trust him or not, but then turning back to the princess, though never taking his eyes off the mysterious man. "What do you think, Claire?"
"I... if there's one more black waltz, more protection wouldn't hurt," Claire shrugged. "But I don't know if we can trust him."
"I believe we should bring him with," Steiner proclaimed. "He is powerful, and I shall keep an eye on him. Besides, I believe I know him from somewhere..."
"What about you, Vivi?" Blank asked.
"Umm..." Vivi muttered, when the engine on the huge cargo ship roared up.
"Decide!" the man bellowed. "May I come with you, or no?!"
"..." Blank starred at the man's dark eyes. "Alright, let's go!" Blank shouted and they quickly ran up to the ship and they all jumped on a ladder except for the princess. "Claire, come on!"
"No," Claire responded. "I think this ship is going to Alexandria!"
"I know," Blank responded. "But we have to hurry! Come on, I have it under control!"
"But..." the princess still stayed.
"Come on!" Blank shouted. "You have to trust me!"
The princess looked into Blank's... well his belt, I guess, and then nodded, "I trust you, Blank." The princess then jumped on the ladder and Blank quickly followed. They all went inside the cargo ship, where they all saw one of the black mage dolls, moving around!
"What...?" Vivi muttered. "Th-they're moving?!" They all looked shocked at the black mage, except for Felix, who didn't seem to care. "I-I'm going to go and try to talk to him!" Vivi proclaimed, and rushed over to the mage.
"Now what?" Felix asked. "Who are you people?"
"I'm Blank," Blank answered, then pointed to the rest of the team. "You have to call the princess Claire, the knight is Steiner, and the black mage is Vivi."
"I see..." the tall man muttered. "Now, what shall we do?"
"I'm going to go talk to the pilot," Blank said, beginning to walk to the ladder that was across the ship.
"I-I shall assist you!" Steiner exclaimed, quickly following him.
"What about Felix?" Blank asked.
The monster hunter sighed, and took off his katana sheath with the katana inside and tossed it to Blank. "There, now you don't have to worry about me killing the prin... Claire or anything," the man sighed.
"Alright," Blank nodded. "Let's go, Steiner."
However, just then, the little mage returned, looking down at his feet. "Master Vivi..." Steiner muttered. "What is the matter?"
"It's... the mage..." Vivi muttered. "He... wouldn't talk to me... he barely even noticed me..."
"Sorry Vivi," Blank told the little mage, getting down on his knee so he was eye level with him. "Maybe the next one will talk..."
"Yeah..." Vivi muttered.
"Come on, Steiner," Blank said as he stood back up. "We have to hurry."
"Yes, of course," Steiner nodded. The two then began to walk across the airship, passing the mage who didn't notice either of them, and Blank briefly looked out the window. Oh damn! I forgot to write to them! Blank cursed at himself. ...I wonder if they're even at Lindblum yet...
Blank shrugged the idea off, and then climbed the ladder to the upper deck. Once up top, Steiner laughed, "You fool! This ship is going to Alexandria!" the knight then stood in front of the ladder. "Now I won't allow you to speak to the others about it!"
"Whatever," Blank mumbled, walking over to the control station. Blank stepped in, seeing a couple mages inside, and then asked, "Uhh... could you pilot us to Lindblum?"
The pilot mage didn't responded, and only kept his face forward.
"Well then..." Blank muttered, hoping he wouldn't have to use force. "Could I pilot us to Lindblum?"
The mage stepped out of the way, letting go of the controls that made the airship lightly jerk, so Blank quickly jumped up and grabbed the wheel, "Thanks!" Blank exclaimed, and spun the ship around and towards Lindblum.
"What the?!" Steiner shouted from outside the cockpit, seeing Blank at the controls. Steiner rushed inside the cockpit and shouted, "What are you doing?!"
"I'm going to Lindblum," Blank calmly responded, which only made Steiner madder.
"How dare you?!" the knight yelled, then turned to the black mages. "I'm terribly sorry, I will get this fool out of the cockpit!"
"I just doing what Claire wants to do!" Blank shouted at the knight, making him look down.
"Y-you lie... you're kidnaping her!" Steiner shouted.
"If you think that, then ask her yourself!" Blank shouted to the knight, making him even madder, especially when he noticed that Claire, Vivi, and Felix were now on the deck of the airship.
"Curse you!" Steiner shouted as the other three walked in.
"What's going on?" Claire asked. "I'm piloting the ship to-"
"He's stealing this airship too!" Steiner shouted. "And, princess, he claims that you-"
However, before Steiner could finish his statement, a huge black waltz, taller, buffer and, they could all fell, stronger then number two, landed on the airship.
"Is that a black waltz?!" Felix shouted, then turned to Blank. "My katana!"
Blank quickly handed it to him, and then drew his own sword and turned to Steiner, "Stand here and yell at us all you want! But we're going to get that black waltz!"
"I-I'm going too!" Vivi shouted, pulling out his staff.
"But... very well!" Steiner shouted, pulling out his sword. "I shall help you!"
Felix, Steiner, and Vivi quickly ran out to the deck, and Blank turned to Claire and said, "Just keep going strait, eventually you'll see the South Gate, which will hopefully open for you!"
"Ok," Claire nodded, taking the wheel as Blank ran on the deck. "Good luck!"
When Blank reached the other three, the might wizard bellowed and they could literally see thunder zap around his body, "So, the princess's guards have joined! Good, now I can defeat you all at once and then reclaim the princess!"
"No way!" Blank shouted, running towards the black waltz, but stopped, seeing that many of the black mages on the ship, went in front of the four to protect them.
"What's going on?!" Vivi asked to no one in specific.
"What are you fools doing?!" the black waltz bellowed. "You wish to protect them? Very well, die!" The might wizard pointed the palm of his hand towards the mages that have gathered, and beams of thunder flew from it and hit the mages dead on, causing many of them to fall off the cargo ship.
"No!" Vivi cried. "Why did you do that?!"
"Ally or not," Steiner shouted, "That was harsh!"
"I'm sick of you!" Vivi cried. "I hate you!" Just then, Vivi was surrounded by a reddish glow, and they all knew that the little mage was in trance.
"Prepare to die!" Felix shouted.
Vivi immediately shot several balls of fire into the black waltz's chest, which seemed to barely effect him. Blank, Steiner, and Felix all at once ran up and slashed the beast's right arm, left leg, and chest, making him curse as black blood dripped from his new wounds. "You damned fools!" the black waltz shouted. "I shall destroy you all!" The wizard then called a huge ball of thunder, even larger then the one black waltz number two called before he died, and threw it towards the team. However, Vivi, still locked in trance, made a ball of thunder nearly as large, and the two collided, making a huge blast between the wizard and the team.
During the confusion, Felix rushed back up to the black waltz and made many more wounds to the beast's chest, causing it to fall down to the ground. "Curse you!" the waltz bellowed, getting back up and spreading his wings. "I shall slay you all!" The wizard then leapt off the ship, and Blank, Felix, and Steiner all ran back into the cockpit, while Vivi was looking at one of the mage's hat that was on the deck of the ship.
"You're doing really good, Claire," Blank complemented.
"Now turn the airship around!" Steiner shouted. "The princess wants to go back to the castle this instant so-"
"Steiner," Claire interrupted. "Thank you."
The knight, shocked by the thanks, bent down on one knee and bowed his head, "Such words... I am not worthy!"
"And," Claire continued. "I do not intend on returning to the castle, until I am done with my business in Lindblum."
"... Very well, princess," the knight responded, standing up once more and saluting. "I vow to protect you until we return to the castle!"
Blank chuckled but Claire, seeming very serious, responded, "Very well, Steiner."
"Guys!" Felix shouted, looking behind the airship. "The black waltz is following us in some kind of cruiser ship!"
"What?!" Blank exclaimed, looking out behind the airship, to see that, indeed, the black waltz was following them. "Damn it!"
"Princess!" Steiner shouted. "We must turn around and head towards the castle!"
"Are you crazy?!" Blank shouted. "We have to go through the gate, and hopefully, it'll close, leaving the black waltz behind us!"
"Alright," Claire nodded, rapidly increasing the speed.
Blank looked around, making sure they were all safe, when he saw Vivi out on the deck, sadly looking over one of the hats that the black mages wore. Blank rushed out onto the deck, hearing Felix mutter "fool!" but Blank ignored it and grabbed Vivi's shoulder.
"Come on, Vivi!" Blank shouted. "We have to go back!"
"But..." Vivi muttered, but seemed willingly enough to move. But, by then, the black waltz caught up with the cargo ship, and flew right next to Vivi and Blank. Blank looked ahead and saw that the gate was beginning to close, and knew that, unless they did something, the black waltz would be able to go through with them.
Vivi, glaring at the wizard, summoned his strongest fire spell, and shot it at the might wizard, making his little airship go hurtling back. Then, the cargo ship passed through the gate, and the wizard was left out.
That was chapter four!
I know it was long, but what are you going to do? Also, I know the battle with the black waltz was different, but I really wanted to end the chapter.
PLEASE REVIEW!!!
Also, once they get into Lindblum, the story really begins to change, so stay tuned!
