Duelist of Dawn: Well, I've been gone long enough.
Freya: You certainly have; your readers have been wondering what happened with you.
Duelist of Dawn: Hey! Don't blame me, blame the Document Manager for not letting me login or review any stories in a while!
Freya: That's true; some of your favorite stories probably had the same problem.
Duelist of Dawn: See! I could be wondering about the same thing but I keep a leveled head and just re-read stories or look at other ones that catch my interest.
Freya: And in that time, you could be setting up new chapters!
Duelist of Dawn: (sweatdrops and chuckles nervously) Oh yeah.
Freya: Lazy bum.
Duelist of Dawn: Whatever, let's get on with the festivities: first up for all of you Final Fantasy VIII fans or someone who needs a good story from the category, check out The Lionheart Revised by Katherine the Black Rose. Its action packed, funny and some romance involved and a kick-ass lady OC.
Freya: I never pictured you the romantic type.
Duelist of Dawn: Blame the game creators for involving love in their story plots. Also special shout outs to my reviewers out there, thanks for sticking with me and also glad that ATE liked the use of her thoughts on the first chapter; never thought I get this good, be sure to tell your peeps about this and see if they like it!
Freya: Also, Duelist of Dawn doesn't own Final Fantasy 9 or any music used in the story. Now, start the chapter so I can win the Festival of the Hunt.
Duelist of Dawn: Wow, you're amped up! Well, can't deny a lady what see wants (unless it's something illegal) Start the chapter!
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Chapter 9
Welcome to Linblum! Part 2: The Festival of the Hunt
(Play Hunter's Chance from Final Fantasy 9)
(Lindblum-Industrial District) (Time set: 40 minutes)
The Festival of the Hunt; a great way to kill some time and I can battle without any actual threats. I mean, the monsters here are child's play now since I've gotten better in my skills and with my new trench knives; I give any monster that crosses me a clean sweep! Freya and I reach the Industrial District to start our part in the Festival. We rush up the stairs leading into the square where right now no people would dare to be walking around here unless they want to be beef jerky to a pack of monsters. But for some reason, it's even void of monsters around here…
"You think the beasties gave us the slip?" I asked Freya, who was walking beside me.
"No; if I know one thing, since those monsters love to be in groups, they'll wait to ambush us." She says, while pulling out her weapon of choice: a javelin spear.
"Nice spear." I say.
"Thanks. We Burmecian Dragon Knights favor spears mostly since we pride ourselves in slaying dragons quite swiftly." She responds. I can take her word for it; even though the knights I read about use the ol' 'shield and sword' routine, I notice they have a very difficult time in doing so, or end up dead. Using spears gives you range advantage since you attack while in a good distance away from the enemy and defend if they somehow get inside your vantage point. Then, I hear some footsteps approaching. We both press our backs together ready to see all angles; we may be rivals during the competition, but neither one of us wants the other one dead.
"You feel that?" Freya whispers.
"Yeah. We're surrounded." I whisper back.
*AWWOOOO!!!!*
After the howl, about 12 Fangs come up out of their hiding places and surround us in a wide circle, growling menacingly. None of them are about to foresee the deaths that are about to come to them.
"Hey, six for you, six for me?" I say to Freya in playful tone.
"Done." She simply says before jumping towards three of them and slices them down one shot. That action set the other nine attacking, trying to bite us. I meet one head on before giving it an uppercut and thanks to my new weapons on my fists, slicing him down the middle. I then spin around with my arms out cutting up two more Fangs who were trying to jump at my blind spots. After that, the three remaining Fangs surrounded me in a triangular formation, ready for my next move. Thinking of what to do next, I stare down the one in front of me while flexing my hands on the grips of my weapons. I just dropped my hands down which caused of them to try and pile on me, but I all did was duck and let all three of them knock heads which let me crush all of them by punching the two on the side and letting me use their bodies crushing the one in the middle, killing them all.
"Paydirt." I say with a grin and then turn to Freya who is finished having her fun.
"You're really creative in your attacks, impressive." She says. "It'll be a grand victory to best you in the Hunt."
"Well, you better get to bagging those beasts." I say. "I won't have a problem with it." We then parted ways, though Freya's exit was rooftop hopping. "Showoff."
I just took the conventional way: taking the stairs. As I ran up the stairs, I took down a Mu along way without slowing down, if this is how the monsters are, anybody could have a chance of winning this. At the top of the stairs, I ran into a flock of blue birds called Trick Sparrows.
"Great, flying monsters." I said staring them down. "Maybe this will be tougher than I thought."
As I got ready to fight, the sparrows took flight. I was able to see how many were around me: a shocking twenty-five! Man, it was like what Freya said earlier: the monsters chosen to be the game in the contest love to be in groups, big ones to be accurate. But at least I had at least two aces-in-the-holes for flying enemies. As soon as one of the Trick Sparrows dived down to lead the others into the fray. I charged up energy in my arms and produce the same technique I used on the Black Waltz No.3, may he rot in Hell with other Waltzes.
"Thunder Blades!" My arms became blades again but different. The energy around my trench knives caused them to be more like pendulum scythes instead of blades. "Oh well, I'm not changing the name!" I yelled, charging against the sparrows. I started swing my arms so I could give the birds a giant sized shock treatment, catching about five of them in the contact and seven more due to the electricity clinging to the ones nearby and frying them like chickens. That left thirteen more to deal with. I don't believe in that superstitious stuff, but to anyone else would probably be wetting their pants right now, because while the twelve sparrows I took were dead, the others swooped in and did this spear pecking against my limbs, stopping my blade attack.
"Dammit!" I shouted as the attacks hit home. I had no time to heal up with some potions I took with me so I did a rolling dodge to escape the next assault. "Gotta think of something!" I thought out loud then in my mind. 'I need some speed! They know I need time for the Thunder Blades so they'll swoop in again as soon as I charge up and the Ariel Drive will leave me a sitting duck in the air, oh damn!' I was interrupted by another attack from the sparrows; I also noticed they would not try to split up unless their plan is to pick at my dead body like vultures if I slip up. Suddenly, my feet were glowing yellow and in a flash I dodge the next attack without much effort. "Sonic Flash!" And the next thing I know I'm sitting on a nearby box a second later.
"How'd I get here that quick?" I questioned as I looked around; and found five more Trick Sparrows dead on the ground. "On second thought, I won't complain!" I said in excitement; I must've have hit them in the midst of that ability. The eight remain Trick Sparrows looked bewildered at the display and I use that chance to strike them down using the Sonic Flash ability, but it left me tired. "Phew! Gotta use that at a critical moment, next time!" I said catching my breath and chugging down a couple of potions which closed up the wounds those birds left on me. I ran on further into the district and found that familiar café I was at the other day, but I couldn't stop as the time was still ticking as about a half an hour was left…..
*EEEEEEKKKK!!!!*
…..Or help out some who's in trouble in there!
I rushed into the café to find a lone Fang cornering a frightened woman behind the bar. And it wasn't just any woman….
"Help me, please!!!" It was that waitress Lilian! I was able to pounce on the Fang and punched it away from her. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She immediately glomped on me, crushing me in a hug.
"Need…..air…." I gasped out, until she lets me go, feeling embarrassed.
"Oops, sorry!" She says, sheepishly. I start to breathe in and out, getting back air in my lungs.
"It's okay, but listen you need to get away from here in case any monsters show up again." I told her.
"I was about to go into an underground shelter we use in case of the Hunt." Lilian informs me.
"Good, I hate to see someone get killed in this thing, even if it is tradition in this place." I say. "Gotta go, be safe!" I went to the entrance of the pub to leave until Lilian stopped me again.
"Wait a sec.." She then plants a kiss on my cheek again, causing me to blush all the same. "Good luck!" I nod, and ran out.
'Okay, this place seems clean enough and with everyone out of harm's way, it's time to move on!" I thought running to the air cab station. As soon as I make it, I hop into the cab and yell out my next destination. "Theater District!" The attendant nods and gives the signal for the drive to head out.
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(Theater District) (Time left 27 min)
The air cab pulls up to the station and I jump out to the window and rush out the station. Outside, the place seems quiet but I still sense some hostile auras around so I check out the area and see a lone Mu in the corner and quickly kill it before it has the chance to notice me. Then I find a clock tower near a studio and run in. Inside were bunch of treasure chests but were already emptied out, two set of bunk beds against the walls and a bell in the middle that triggers whenever the clock strikes certain times.
"Hmm, Zidane said he and the Tantalus gang had a hideout in this district. I guess this is it." I said looking around. "Well, gotta keep moving and keep fighting." As I turn to leave, I am stopped by 3 Mus blocking the doorway. I sigh as I get my fists up ready to go. The Mus on the side advance towards me and tries to slap me with their tails but I grab them both, slam them together and throw them to the waiting Mu who dodges them with ease. It then retaliates by throwing a stone at my forehead leaving me dazed for a few seconds.
"Damn, that hurts!" I yell while holding my head and check it for bleeding. Thankfully, I'm not but this I direct my anger at the Mu. "Where in the blue Hell you get a stone, you demented squirrel!?" I yell in pain. My answer was another stone to the face. "OWW! That's it!" I rush at the Mus trying to take it down from the legs but it jumps and quickly I cut it down with an uppercut. The other two Mus started throwing those stone which I dodge and knock them back, effectively knocking them out. I then quickly slam my fists on their backs and slice them as I ran out of the hideout.
Next, I slide down the railing of the stairs down to the local theater and find no sign of people or monsters around.
"Well coming down here was bust." I thought to myself, feeling disappointed. "Guess I'll head on to the Business District and…"
"HELP!!" I was cut off by a male theater personnel running out of the building.
"What's wrong?" I ask the guy.
"A monster's coming!" He says, fear evident in his voice. I hear the monster growling and quickly grab the man and pull at the edge of the door. "Wha.?"
"Shh!" I shush him as I hear the monster coming. As soon as I hear it running towards the entrance and when I saw the monster, I gave it a kick under the chin followed by a swift punch to the face. I ran to the body and found it was a Fang.
"Thank you, sir!" The attendant said gratefully and ran away to safer ground.
"Well, nothing left to do but get to the Business District!" I say running up the stairs, past the hideout and into the air cab yelling out "Business District!"
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(Business District) (Time left 15 min)
"Attention hunters, there are fifteen minutes left in the Festival of the Hunt!" I hear Artania say over a loudspeaker.
"Let's see if I can grab more points before the time runs out." I say as I walk out of the station. Then in front me…..
*CLANK!!*
…..was I giant axe blocking me.
"Hold on there, handsome!" A feminine and commanding voice says. I look away from the giant axe to see the person holding it: A black woman wearing a circlet with a green plant in it, a short shirt that shows off her midriff and cleavage, yellow collar and forearm guards that shows off her elbow, black shorts with a brown and orange fur covering around her hips.
"Mind telling me why you're blocking my way?" I ask politely. She picks up her axe with one hand and hoists it over her shoulders without difficulty. 'Wow, she must be very strong. That axe seems to weigh nearly 200 pounds!'
"I came to see who's left in the competition, but I am very much liking what I see here!" She says checking me out.
"Really?" I ask having a slight blush. I then feel her arms around my shoulders and hear her breathing.
"Really." She whispers in my ear making me blush an even redder color. "I can see you're a strong guy and I like strong guys." She adds in a sultry tone.
'Man, I can't believe I'm getting this much attention!' I thought feeling my body temperature rise up a few degrees and my heart beat faster. 'Wow, do I really like her attention?'
"Well, if this contest let other people fight each other; I would love see how good you really are, Ron." She says coming around to face me. "But we can't."
I shake myself out of the daze she put me in and ask her. "You know my name?"
"Of course, a man who fights with fists or knuckle braces; you fit that description." She tells me. "Of course, you know me, don't you?"
I rack my brain for the list of names on the sign up sheet and bring up what I can remember about the game. Then it hits me….
"You're Lani right, a bounty hunter?" I ask her.
"Well, you do know me?" She asks like she knew I was going to answer right. "I…."
"10 minutes left in the Hunt, I repeat 10 minutes left in the hunt!" The loudspeakers sound over the district.
"Looks like we'll have to cut our date a little short see ya later, big boy!" She adds blowing a kiss and getting on the air cab. I sigh heavily at what just happened with me and run down streets of the district.
"Man, I can't believe at what just happened to me!" I said looking around for more monsters, but nothing comes up. "Oh well, gotta stay focused for now."
*BRROORRR!!!*
"I found some action!" I yell as I run to the market square to follow the roar of maybe a huge monster. As I run, I find Zidane running beside me.
"Hey, Ron you still in this?" He says.
"I'm here ain't I?" I answer back. We reach the square to find two kids about to be harassed by a huge brown monster.
"Zidane, help us!" They cry out. As we get ready to battle, I ask Zidane a question.
"You know those kids?" I ask.
"Yeah, Baku babysits them in while their parents work." Zidane answers.
"Well, we need to get this dude's attention." I say. "Any thoughts?"
"Yeah." He says then shouts to the monster. "Hey ugly! Over here!" The monster turns around so we see the front of it. It looks like a huge brown boar with twin tusks on the chin, horns out of its nose and ears, green hair on its mane and back.
"I think ugly is an understatement here, especially for a Zaghnol." I say looking up to the big monster. "But we can take him."
"No joke, look at this!" I look at Zidane's new weapon; a green double-bladed sword with the handle in the middle of the blades. He spins it around before holding it in fighting stance.
"What the Hell?" I say, looking at the blade. "I thought daggers were your thing."
"They are, I combine two of these Mage Masher daggers to make this blade, The Ogre!" He informed me.
"I know you had fun with that!" I said, getting into my stance.
"I could say the same for you!" Zidane countered, looking at my trench knives. "All right, let's take him!" I nod.
"Need some assistance?" We turn to see Freya hop over to us.
"Hey, the more the merrier!" I say.
"Yeah, sure but I'm the one who finishes him; I got a date with Dagger on the line!" Zidane shouts.
"Whatever." Freya and I say at the same time.
'If this thing comes at me, I'll kill it regardless of Zidane's date.' I thought. 'Serves him right for trying to set me up on an unexpected date.'
(End Hunter's Chance, Play Boss theme of Final Fantasy 9)
The Zaghnol strikes first trying to ram us with the tusks, but we all evade the charge; Zidane and Freya jump to the side while I hop on his face and give him a hard head-butt, which makes it stumble back a few steps, I like my strength!
"Guys, hit him now!" I yell as I back flip off the monsters face, and they didn't to be told twice. The thing about big and bulky beasts like the Zaghnol, their blind/weak spots are always the biggest part of them: their sides. Zidane cut the right side with a spinning slash while Freya stabbed the left side with point of her spear. But instead of finishing it, we pissed it off. The Zaghnol does side kick with its hind legs to Freya, knocking her into some carts and hits Zidane with the side of its tusks knocking him near some of the stores. Then, it turns its attention to me and goes to try to ram me again, but I stand my ground and grab hold of the tusks with both hands and push against the weight.
"Come on, move!" I try to motivate myself as I and the monster were still trying to get the best of each other. "I got it!" My mind racks up a quick thought as I lift up the tusks and let go causing the Zaghnol to charge ahead and let me lift it up by the underbelly.
"Wow! Look at that guy!"
"He's really strong to pick up a big monster like that!"
The kids who being cornered by the Zaghnol were in awe of how easily I was lifting the big thing up, I was surprised that my strength was holding up like this, but now I can't think, gotta act!
"If you think that's great, watch this!" I yell to kids, waiting for my next move. I first lift the monster off my hands, putting it in the air. I figure I use a move I've always wanted a pull and now I have the stamina to pull it off! My fists glow slight read and I start my technique with an uppercut, slicing it a bit followed by a double kick launching it a few feet in the air before jumping after it. I grabbed by the Zaghnol tusks again and shouted "Grand Power Bomb!" and slammed it on ground away from the children and landing on the monster's body.
"Dude!" I hear Zidane shouted running over to me and grabbing me by the shirt. "I told you not to kill him!"
"Hey, the thing attacked me, what was I supposed to do, lie down and die!?" I countered, getting in his face.
"Sound like a plan!" Zidane shouted as he readied his blade, but the hostility was interrupted by Freya who got out the pile of carts she landed in.
"Zidane! Ron! Move!" She shouted but before we could move, lightning shot up from the Zaghnol's body and shocked me and Zidane right off.
"Oh….man,...I feel like I was attached to a lightning rod." I groaned out still smarting from the shock.
"You okay?" Freya asked helping me up.
"Yeah." I said as I got up. We both see the Zaghnol get up, but it looked liked it was machine shorting out with all the electricity covering its body.
"It used Electrocute to charge its body with Thunder magic, giving us the shock treatment." Zidane said running over to me and Freya. "Anybody got a plan?"
"I have one." Freya said, whispering to the both of us. "If we divide and attack like last time, it won't focus any of its attacks like last time."
"I'll still land the finishing blow right?" Zidane said desperately. Freya and I sighed at Zidane.
"Fine." We both said. Freya and Zidane got to the sides of the Zaghnol again, while I stayed in front of it, waiting patiently for the monster's next move. "Hello Beastie." I mocked the giant Zaghnol. The monster once again charged up lightning and threw it at me.
"Now!" I shouted as I dodged the shot and gave it a kick to the face, followed by Freya doing a jump spear assault on the back and Zidane threw the double blade at the monster's eye, letting the monster drop dead.
(End music)
"Oh yeah!" Zidane shouted grabbing his weapon from the dead monster. While he was busing gloating over his 'victory' , Freya and I checked on the kids and made sure they weren't hurt.
*GONG!*
"Time has expired! The Festival of the Hunt is over! We will now announce our top hunters!" Artania shouted over the intercom. "In third place with 250 points, Vivi!" The crowd over looking the competition roared in applause.
"Wow! Vivi did alright for himself!" I said in amazement. Zidane just slapped me on the back.
"See, I told ya; nothing to worry about!" Zidane said in an overexcited voice.
"Tied for second place with 290 points, Freya and Ronald!" The crowd shouts again, with me and Freya waving to the crowd.
"And in first place with 330 points, Zidane, our grand winner!" Zidane was soaking up all of the attention as the crowd started chanting his name.
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(10 minutes later in the Regent's room)
Vivi, Freya, Zidane and I met up in the Grand Castle greeted by Steiner, Dagger, Artania and Regent Cid. A victory ceremony was held in the throne room…..
"That was marvelous display of battle! All of you were simply grand!" The Regent praised the top hunters of the festival. Artania then walked up to Zidane. "330 points, a new record among the history of our tradition! Congratulations!"
"We grant you the 'Master Hunter' and your requested reward." Cid said as Zidane received the Master Hunter trophy and 5000 gil.
"Congratulations, Zidane!" Vivi said.
"Thanks!" Zidane said.
"Also." We turned to Regent who had more to say. "We also bestow upon all three of our runner-ups their reward."
"Wow, really?" I asked not believing what I heard.
"Of course!" The Regent said proudly. "After the display the rest of you put on, you all are most deserving of your requested rewards." Artania walked to me, Freya and Vivi giving us 3000 gil, a Coral Ring, and a Lindblum playing card respectively."
"Thank you very much, Regent Cid." Vivi thanked the oglop.
"Regent..."
We hear a very exhausted voice from behind us. We turn around to find a heavily wounded rat soldier limping inside the throne room and kneeling down. He wore a tattered purple and blue armor with an emblem similar to Freya's, but the horrible thing about the soldier was that he was bleeding from his body, plus his eyes were gone!
"Oh my!" I hear Dagger gasping.
"God, what did this to him?" I whispered to myself. I turn to Freya who had a worried expression on her face. "Freya is he…?
"Yes." She cut me off. "A soldier from my homeland, Burmecia."
"Please forgive my intrusion..." The Burmecian solider coughed out. "I bring urgent news... from our king."
Regent Cid hopped out of his throne and walked over to the wounded solider. "The king of Burmecia?"
Artania then went over to the Regent and whispered to him, which I was able to hear."(Sire, you must not let him see you like this!)" He warned.
"(Take a good look at him. An injury has blinded him.)" The Regent countered as he looked at the rat soldier's condition, and then turned his attention to him. "Continue."
"Our kingdom is being attacked by some unknown force! We are severely outmatched!" He said in panic. "Please send reinforcements immediately!"
Regent Cid was shocked at the news. "What does the enemy look like?"
"The enemy looks like an army of mages wearing...steeple-crowned hats." The revelation dealt a huge emotional blow to Vivi.
"No…it can't be…" Vivi muttered in fear. All I did was try to console him.
"The king and I are old friends." Cid proclaimed. "We will send reinforcements to Burmecia immediately."
"Thank you, Regent!" The Burmecian gratefully thanked. "The king...and all of Burmecia will be most grateful! I must...return now... ...Ugh." The solider then fell dead.
"Take him to the infirmary!" The Regent tried to inform the guards but it was too late.
"It's too late. He's gone..." Freya stated checking the soldier's pulse. "It's a miracle he even made it this far. I can't believe this is happening..." One guard took the dead body out of the room, so he may rest in peace. I gave a silent prayer for the fallen soldier.
"This is a problem..." Artania thought. "Because of the Festival, there are hardly any men left in the castle. It will take time to mobilize."
"We have no choice... Call back the 4th aerial division patrolling the border." Cid ordered to some nearby guards who went to carry out those orders.
"But if we recall the 4th, we will lose our eyes over Alexandria." Artania argued.
"Gwok-gwok Burmecia is our ally. We must help them." The Regent stated.
"Steeple-crowned hats..." Freya thought. "They might be black mages, like Vivi."
"It can't be..." Vivi muttered again.
"Could it be Mother...!?" Dagger thought looking worried.
"It has to be." I said. "If that factory was owned by Alexandria, then Queen Brahne is behind this invasion."
Freya stood up after listening to my thought. "I must go now. I cannot sit and wait for the reinforcements."
"I'm coming with you." Zidane walked up.
"No. This doesn't concern you." Freya stated.
"What's this, I'm a stranger all of a sudden!?" Zidane asked. "I'm not gonna sit back and watch your home get destroyed, alright?"
Freya caved in and thanked him. "...Thank you, Zidane."
"Um, c-can I come, too? I wanna find out who they really are." Vivi said.
"Sure." Zidane said.
"Alright then. Let's go to Burmecia." Dagger stated. Steiner however did not want that.
"Princess! This is a foreign matter! It has nothing to do with us!" He reasoned.
"Steiner is right. We don't know if Alexandria is involved." The Regent stated.
"But if black mages are involved..." Dagger tried to reason her way in and turned to Zidane and me. "Zidane, Ron, you know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, because I know this Brahne's doing." I said looking grim. "But going there might not be worth it."
" But if my Mother is behind this, I'll make her stop! I promise!" She pleaded.
"...I think you should stay here." Zidane stated.
"What!?"
"We don't know what to expect there." Zidane further stated.
"I've already faced great danger coming here!" Dagger shouted. "What's the difference!?"
"This is a war that's approaching." I said, causing her to look at me. "A lot more people are gonna die than normal."
"I know that!" She shouted again.
"...How did you feel when you saw that Burmecian soldier die, just now?" Zidane asked.
"...I felt sad, of course." She answered sadly.
"Just sad? Weren't you scared, too?" Zidane asked. "Obviously, you haven't realized how dangerous this is gonna be... You could get killed. This is no time to be convincing your mother of anything."
"But..." Dagger tried to reason but Cid cut her off.
"Now's not the time to argue." He stated. "We need to help Burmecia."
"He's right. We must head to Burmecia at once." Freya said and turned to the Regent. "Will you open the Dragon's Gate?"
"Of course." He complied. "If you're going by foot, leaving from that gate is the best way. Let us eat while we gwok wait for the gate to open." We all nodded as we left for the Dining room. Things were now getting intense….
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Oh great, after a grueling competition, a war breaks out! Can't we all just get along?
Next time: Dagger and Steiner runs off while we chase after them through the Mist. We also find a new ally who's very hungry and a pet giant, yellow bird with a knack for treasure hunting!
Next Chapter: Qu's, Chocobos and Treasure!
Please Rate & Review, thank you!