For Yvi-sama: this turned out waaay longer than I expected! Hope you like it though.

Review response: thanks for the feedback! I structured my updates this way because I thought it would baffle people otherwise due to changes in POV. But I will try to elongate some of the shorter snippets when I'm updating (and I usually update in pairs).

Also, Cinna is probably the least effective attacker in all of FF, and I'm including doll, paintbrush, and staff women, along with that guy with the cards who isn't Gambit and Quina. :-) HE HAS A HAMMER. HAMMERS ARE SUPPOSED TO SMASH THINGS? Cinna's hammer is only effective for giving out less than sincere pats-on-the-back.

"Why don't they hafta carry anything?" Marcus grumbled.

"Because they have their instruments," Cinna said snidely.

The band struck up a marching tune as the Troupe started out of the forest.

"Just pretend it's a play!" Baku barked. "And, before we go, you gotta remember the most important part!"

Cinna and Marcus leaned forward, intent on hearing their boss's advice.

"SHUT YER MOUTHS!" Baku yelled, causing both of them to fall all over themselves.

***

"No, no, no!" Marcus and Cinna were at it again, Baku thought, rolling his eyes at the Heterosexual Life Couple. "You've gotta learn how to make 'em pay!"

The goblins didn't seem very interested in 'paying', even with Cinna's hammer making repeated contact with their skulls. Baku sighed and strode forward, unsheathing his sword. "Quit yer whinin' and squabblin' and fight like—"

"Watch out, boss!"

Baku let out a thundering sneeze at just the right moment, propelling him forward, away from the goblin's backstab. Cinna whapped it again. While it stood there, dazed (was it supposed to be insulted by Cinna's attack? It wasn't sure) Baku whipped around, decapitating it.

"Like men," Baku finished, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

***

He still remembered the time that Zidane had left.

Left, he claimed, to find out about his family, the other family…as if Baku's care and guidance wasn't enough? It had stung on so many levels, and he had really only sorted it out when Zidane had slunk back, tail in between his legs.

(As though Baku had failed him. As though he were second best to a family that cleared neither wanted him nor cared for him, when—)

But he understood it enough: because this time, he had let him go.

***

"We gotta do something!" Zennero and Bennero grunted in agreement. "We can't just leave him here!" Marcus' fist quivered against the sky, expressive and futile.

Baku sat down, square in the dirt, at the edge of the forest. He thought long and hard about sending Blank off after Zidane, about how Zidane was alive and Blank was…not.

He didn't regret a thing.

Yay! I haven't been able to play because of school. but, I still have a few of these up my sleeve AND I'm about to leave Lindblum. Please R&R! Again, if you leave a prompt, I will give you a present!