I read on a few sites that Cecil has a more womanizing side to him not seen in dialogue and there's also a magazine called "Smut" in the Developers' Room, (the description of the magazine reads "Cecil's favorite title"). So that's a debriefing for the previous chapter… Oh and sorry for the cliffhanger in this one…
- - -
00
Underneath the white desert there was… a lounge? There were soft couches, pool tables and a bar with a mysterious bartender.
The heroes were here, but Cosmos wasn't.
IX
Zidane was off the hook and went out of trance. That was easy, it was more difficult to stop laughing and regain some seriousness. And only now did he understand that he was summoned somewhere away from home…
VI
Everything settled down, Terra could finally breathe calmly. Her new attire consisted of Squall's fur-coat, which was rather short and left her stomach bare. So she improvised the rest with all those capes…
IV
Cecil took pride that it was his cape that she used for the make-shift skirt…
V
But Bartz was even prouder, cause she used his as an undergarment…
I
The Warrior of Light was actually happy to receive his cape back, cause he really liked all his new non-8-bit clothing. And now he went to explore the location he was currently in.
VIII
Squall wanted his coat back. Sure when he gave it away, he was all knightly, but geez, with all those capes she has on her hands, why does she still keep the coat? Squall wanted to go a beat up the tailed guy, but he was going around with a smart look on his face, and nobody else seemed to care. So Squall figured he'd look bad attacking him now.
VII
Since the whole Bed-issue ended, Cloud felt really bored. So he decided to go shoot some pool. Cloud was good at it, cause they had one back in the SOLDIER lounge, and Zack used to play it, and Cloud stole Zack's skills. He took a cue and sent the balls rolling.
III, VII, IX
After receiving his cape back, the Onion Knight decided to do the most reasonable thing, introduce himself and get everyone's names. But somehow 'everyone' was dissipating really quickly and soon he was left alone.
So not working out…
He decided to go talk to the only girl in the party, but a few other chivalrous knights already got there quicker, so he decided to talk to the man at the pool table
"So I heard your name's Cloud." – said the boy in an upbeat tone.
Cloud sighed, "Yes it is."
Zidane, who was walking by, stopped to drop a little laugh.
"And I'm the Onion Knight."
"Onion Knight?" – Cloud missed a ball, - "Is that your name or your title? " – Cloud was hoping that he and 'the Squall' weren't the only weird-named people here.
"Well, technically it's both… here. But I do have this other name at home…"
Zidane decided to pull another wacky guess. For all he figured it worked here.
"And it's probably 'Pumpkin Squire'. So you're Pumpkin Squire the Onion Knight, son of Pickle Paladin, the Cabbage Hero. Am I right?" – said Zidane as he took another cue and shot the ball Cloud missed, - "Your turn."
"NO it's not! My name was Luneth!" – the boy hopped in anger.
"Nice shot, you play before?" – said Cloud ignoring the Onion Knight, and pocketing a ball himself.
"Sure, I'm a playa…" – he smiled to his own thoughts…
"Are you ignoring me?!" – screamed the Onion Knight and left….
IV
The Paladin/Dark Knight decided that he should socialize and who better to socialize with, than the girl he 'almost' saved. He approached her, waving his silver locks.
II
That silver haired guy is stealing the spotlight, he got his cape used and now he's approaching her again.
IV-VI
"I am Cecil Harvey" – he kissed her hand, - "From now on I'll protect you from the troubles you might face."
"Um… Thank you." – Terra thought that his mannerisms were a bit similar to Edgar, and as she wasn't swayed by him, she wasn't swayed by Cecil either.
"May I have the honor of hearing your name…" – said Cecil in his Paladin tone.
"Terra… Terra Branford."
"I'm glad my cape was of use to you. Don't hesitate to ask for items of clothing from me…"
"Well if you have any women's clothing it would…"
"Sorry but I didn't take it today." – that was a downer.
II-IV-VI
Firion saw an opportunity. He stepped into the dialogue.
"So you don't have it today? Maybe you have it on other days? Are you an item shop or are you some kind of collector?"
"Collecting women's clothing is beneath me." – the thoughts may have crossed my mind, but Rosa and Rydia didn't provide any good chances, - "But maybe I'll open an item shop some other time, thank you. Who are you again?" – retorted Cecil.
"I am glad you ask, my name is Firion. I am a member of the Wild Rose Rebellion against the evil dictatorship of the Emperor. And miss Terra, I also shall shield you from the forthcoming troubles… And I actually have a shield with me, unlike some other people."
"You're a member of a resistance group?" – Terra asked, with a spark in her eyes.
"Why yes, I lead it." – answered Firion proudly
"Well I was also part of this group called the Returners and we were like a resistance group…"
Then they went on talking about it and Cecil realized he was left out.
VII-VIII-IX
"Let me join in…" – the coatless Squall seemed even more bored than Cloud.
"We'll have a thunderstorm here…" – said Zidane giving Squall a cue.
"Whatever" – said the SeeD, as he took a shot.
"I wonder if there's someone named Lightning out there?" – Zidane continued his wild-mass-guess spree – "Then you could mix altogether…"
"It'll probably be another weird-haired guy with an oversized sword…" – Cloud almost smiled at his thought.
"Or a Gunblade…" – added Squall.
"By the way, Squall, how does that thing shoot?" – asked Zidane looking at the weapon.
"It doesn't. The hammer hits a round that sends shockwaves through the blade, raising the destructive power…"
"So it vibrates." – summed up Cloud.
"Yeah, you can put it that way…" – said Squall
"So Cloud has an oversized sword and your's vibrates… Someone just might have a sense of humor up there…" – snickered Zidane.
Cloud and Squall gave him a glare that he decided to switch the topic.
"So like I was saying, this Lightning guy should have an oversized gunblade… But let's make it shootable…"
"There was this Yazoo guy, he had a shooting gunblade. But it was a sword as much as Squall's is a projectile weapon… So that's not new." – said Cloud.
"Well then maybe it'll be more balanced… And the hair will be less freaky and he'll enter this room any minute…"
"Why should he?" – Cloud lifted a brow at Zidane.
"Cause so far all I say comes true…"
"Then make it a girl…" – said Squall and leaned back to the wall.
"Hey, great thinking! It'll be a girl, then you guys might punch up a storm with her. What's a Cloud without Lightning, and a Lightning bolt without a Squall…" – said Zidane winking to the guys in a 'if-ya-know-what-I-mean' fashion.
"You have a really one-way mind, don't you?" – said Cloud.
"So do you. But I guess Squall is more like me." – Zidane turned to the coatless hero, - "It was your idea to make it a girl."
"Guess I just remembered my girlfriend…"
"Whoa… Since you bring up that topic. I got one myself. A real rebelling princess…" – bragged Zidane.
"Don't get started on rebellious princesses! My back hurts just thinking about her. Damn sorceress." – said Squall rubbing his back…
"Mine was the squishy wizard type too. She had summons in her." – said Zidane, - "And you Cloud?"
"You don't even want to discuss it. The fanbase will explode with flames…" – said Cloud, - "Just don't ask."
"Whoa, triangle much, eh? But was she a wizard?" – Zidane really wanted to know.
"Talking about it won't…" - Cloud wanted to change the topic, but thankfully someone else stepped in.
"Mine was a summoner too." – it was Tidus, - "Anyway, I'm going to the bar. Get you guys something?"
"That's nice of you… ah?"
"Tidus."
"Yeah, thanks, Tidus." – said Zidane.
"He was listening in this whole time?" – asked Squall.
"Guess yeah?" – added the Chocobo-hair, - "I guess I'll go with him to see the bar…" – and Cloud went to follow Tidus.
"Sure, oh and speaking of women... " – Zidane nodded to the left.
Squall turned to see the capeless Cecil with a long face coming their way…
X-VII-???
Tidus figured the best way to get into the hang-out was well, drinks. Curse you for being right, Dad! So he made his way to the bar.
"So, you're our barkeep?" – asked Tidus.
"I could be called that, I suppose." – said the mysterious bartender, - "And I presume you wish to drown your sorrow with some bitter drink?"
Cloud also made his way to the bar, but stayed silent.
"Nah, I don't go near the stuff…" – Tidus shivered at the thought of being like Jecht.
"Trying to be the upright good guy?" – said the bartender, - "People like that are never as interesting as the antihero. They are not likely to become the Leading Man."
"Hey. I know you! War of the Lions… You're that sky pirate…" – said Cloud
"Balthier be the name…" – he replied and turned to face his fellow FFT guest star.
"What are you doing here?"
"A certain Judge Magister applied to Chaos' side. So the only fitting thing was for the protagonist of his story to join the other side…" – said Balthier as he polished a glass and put in front of Cloud.
"But why you? I thought some other guy was the hero." – said Cloud as he watched Balthier
"Well, you were fooled. I'm the hero…" – said the sky pirate passing another glass to Tidus.
"So you're going to fight alongside us?" – asked Tidus.
"No. I'll just keep you checked and supply you with a intellectual conversation from time to time." – said the man as he poured them both a potion.
"Why's that?" – asked Cloud.
"Cause that's my gambit. Or rather I don't feel like it… Besides, Gabranth is a hidden character, just pretend you didn't see me either."
IV-IX-VIII
"So, what's gotten you down, oh Paladin?" – smirked Zidane.
"A kid like you wouldn't understand…" – said Cecil.
"Trouble with attracting the girl's attention?" – countered Zidane.
"That was a lucky guess." – said Cecil coldly.
"Ah, trust me, I'm more a ladies' man than I look… If you need advice…"
"If I need advice, I'll ask someone else. Like that handsome man with the scar. He seems more a ladies' man…" – said Cecil.
There was brief moment of silence, till Squall understood, that he was referring to him.
"Whatever. Ask the tailed guy…"
"OK, tailed boy… What possibly can you say?" – Cecil turned to Zidane.
"First tell me the situation…"
"Well, that Firion guy, the bandanna one. Is a rebel. She turned out to be a rebel too. Now they're going talking about who rebelled against what and ext…"
Zidane looked in Terra's direction and then back at Cecil and got a smile.
"So they've got something in common to talk about, huh? And you?" – Zidane started examining Terra with his eyes again.
"What me. I did oppose a kingdom, but I sorta did it by myself, never was an underground rebel member."
"No, you got something in common with her, you know it." – said Zidane
"I went to the moon…" – said Cecil
"I did that too." – said Squall.
"No!" – smiled Zidane, - "You're not always the white and plushy cape guy, you've also got that dark form, right? The one that changes your armor to something black and wholesome?"
"Yes… The Dark Knight. A hideous form that feeds on it's user's life" – said Cecil…
"And she has the animalistic form… Go to her. Change into that Dark Knight of yours and tell her how hard it is with this dualistic nature of your soul or something. That's sure to get her attention and maybe even compassion…"
"Hey, you're totally right. Thanks for the idea…" - Cecil immediately filled with optimism and went back into Terra's and Firion's direction.
"Ha-ha… This is gonna be something worth seeing, Squall."
"Why are you even helping him? Didn't you want to try and appeal to that girl yourself?" – said Squall.
"I know, I know. It's just this theory I have…" – smirked Zidane.
"And what is that?"
"When he changes to the Dark Knight, his equipment changes, right? Some parts appear and some disappear." – said Zidane.
"Yeah, like that helmet and stuff…" – added Squall, - "Wait…"
"Yeah! I'm thinking the skirt-cape is gonna disappear too…"
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