Within moments of Mister Mog's announcement the room seemed to stand still.

With this kind of predicament, would anyone be suspicious? A tropical island resort run staffed by moogles, a place that seemed to defy logic, and they were on it free to leave if they wished.

Some minds were hesitant, others were questioning it.

For one particular guest, however, he saw this as an opportunity.

A young man with a monkey tail was leaning against a small statue of the eidolon Siren. "I think I want to stay..." he turned his head to the side, the small tail of his dirty blonde hair swung on the back of his head. Zidane Tribal saw a girl with long raven hair and dressed in an orange traveling suit talking with a couple other girls. He looked at her for a moment and she must have sensed his stare and smiled in his direction.

His beloved Garnet, known to him more affectionately as Dagger. Just being in the same room with her filled the thief's heart with glee. "I think I can make time for her, since it was handed to me on a silver platter."

Zidane made his way over to Dagger as she continued to talk to her new girlfriends. One was dressed in a light blue duster, had long hair similar in length and color to her own, and hand a silver ring dangling from a silver chain around her neck. The other girl was slightly taller than the other girl but had long bright blonde hair that was up in a high tail. She also wore a red and extremely exotic outfit that exposed more skin on her upper body than Zidane would think any woman would wear indoors. 'Must be from a desert nation or something,' he thought as he approached the three women. Were he any other man Zidane would think he was in heaven with all these beauties around him. But as he had pledged to Dagger years before, his eyes were only for her. "Hey, Dagger. Who're are these ladies?"

Garnet knew Zidane had promised to end his womanizing since they had hooked up, though she noted he had a habit of going back to his old flirty ways from time to time. Relapsing was a pain for the thief but she forgave him for the most part. Long as he kept his hands to himself. "Hello, Zidane. We were just getting acquainted with each other."

"Is that so? Well, I'll be the gentleman and introduce myself. I'm Zidane Tribal, former thief and member of the Tantalus Theater Troupe."

The blonde was nodded at Zidane, "Lyse Hext of Ala Mhigo. Nice to meet you."

Then there was the raven haired girl who, Zidane noticed, had a single streak of auburn hair going down from her right temple. "Rinoa Heartilly-Leonhart, pleased to make your acquaintance."

That last half of her last name got Zidane's attention. "Leonhart? You know Squall?"

Rinoa smiled and affectionately replied, "Yup, he's my hubby."

One split second later Zidane hopped back a step, clearly shocked, "WHAT!?"

His exclamation echoed in the room and everyone turned towards the group and Garnet subsequently sighed and shook her head in embarrassment.

"Why are you so noisy?"

Rinoa and Zidane turned and the woman's face lit up like the star lit sky as her husband joined the group. Squall, from where Zidane stood, had not changed since the last time he had seen him. Still looking cool, as well as somber and always serious. Yet there was a moment when Rinoa skipped over to him and held onto his arm that the thief thought he saw the soldier's expression soften a bit.

Zidane had regained his composure and put his hands on his hips, "Well, Squall, I see you've been busy since we last met."

Holding onto his arm Rinoa held her husband close before raising her left hand to show off the gold ring she wore prominently. "He has."

"So how long have you two been hitched?"

Squall lowered his eyes and let Rinoa answer for him. "About six months."

"Ah, taking it slow I guess," said the thief before crossing his arms over his chest.

He earned a glare from Squall. For what reason he was mad no one knew. Well, everyone except for Rinoa, that is. "I thought you were going to take it easy with the glaring?"

In a whisper Squall responded. "Not used to the monkey's antics. Zell I can handle but Zidane's on a whole other level." He didn't like the teasing he received from anyone but he could mostly ignore them.

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Zidane before apologizing. "I didn't mean anything bad by it Squall. Congrats on your marriage."

Squall nodded in gratitude to Zidane and Rinoa gave a squeeze of his hand with her own. It was as if she was saying 'good boy' to him.

Now though, Squall intended to turn the tables on his friend. "And the little lady with you is who, Zidane?"

"This is my beloved Dagger-" the thief began only to hear Dagger clear her throat. That was a signal to her overzealous boyfriend that she would take it from there.

"I am Her Majesty Garnet til Alexandros XVII, Queen of Alexandria, and it is a pleasure to meet you," she said in a familiar regal tone that Zidane could only remember from back in an earlier adventure.

Rinoa seemed surprised, "A queen?"

Garnet waved her hand, "No need for formalities here. I don't think they're necessary when we're friends. By the way, my friends call me Dagger."

"Formal yet humble, quite a girlfriend you got there, Zidane," Squall complimented.

Zidane rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Thanks..."

"Maybe she'll keep you in line so you don't make an ass out of yourself in front of everyone," replied Squall.

Zidane smirked and retorted, "And you better make sure your little lady is happy. Remember: a happy wife equals a happy life."

The soldier rolled his eyes. He had been told something similar from his father at his bachelor party. It continued to echo in his mind months after it had bene uttered. His mood soured a bit more because of that. "I'm going to go for a walk. Want to come along?"

At first Zidane thought he had been speaking to everyone. As it turned out he had been asking his wife.
She accepted the idea with glee. "Sure, if it will make you feel better, darling."

As the two turned towards a door way that led onto the beach outside, Squall asked politely, "Please do not call me that in public."

Rinoa ignored him and held onto his arm tightly as they began their stroll.

As soon as they were out of eyesight, the light accented voice of Lyse got Garnet and Zidane's attention. "Say, Zidane? You said your last name was Tribal, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I have a friend who shares the same name with you. Guess it must be a coincidence."

Curiosity piqued Zidane asked, "Must be because I have only two blood relatives that I know of."

That thought aside Lyse shrugged her slender shoulders. "Thought I'd ask..."

Garnet tapped Zidane on the shoulder, "I want to go and take a look around, Zidane."

"Sure thing, honey," said the thief and he bid farewell to Lyse, whom he was sure he'd see again during this adventure. "See you around Lyse!"

Then those two left towards the beach, leaving Lyse alone in the lobby as everyone else seemed to have cleared out in the midst of their conversation.

"Well-" Lyse started to say when she felt a light touch on her left shoulder. She gasped and felt a shiver go up her spine.

Turning in that direction the young woman saw a man in casual samurai garb standing next to her. His hair was a pastel purple with white streaks on the bangs and a pair of cat ears were partially hidden from view. A black covering hid his eyes though small scars could be seen coming from under it. The man's ears were not the only indication of his feline appearance as his bushy tail swayed back in forth behind him.

"Dakk...I was wondering where you went," said Lyse in relief.

The man she addressed as Dakk kept his eyes forward. Though he wore the covering he could see past it thanks to the power he held inside himself. "I was looking around...sorry to worry you."

His tone was soft and despite his rough looking exterior the look Lyse gave him was one of trust.
"It's alright, though I think we're not in any danger, right?"

Dakk shook his head, "No. This place, while strange and unfamiliar, doesn't seem to have a shred of darkness about. I think we can take it easy."

Lyse liked that answer. "Well, if there is no sign of darkness, I suppose we should make the best of it."

"Making new friends on an exotic island...what an interesting turn of events," said the warrior of light, though hardly one of astonishment as he had seen plenty of amazing sights in his years of journeying across Eorzea.

Lyse could only smile at his words. While she certainly wasn't alone, it was nice to enjoy a place like this with a close friend. A very close friend, at that. She wouldn't want it with anyone else.