Chapter 2: Shaky Alliance

(Shinobi's POV)

"Ugh." I got up with my head pounding, "The hell happened?" I looked around to see trees

It took a second for me to realize where I was

SHIT!

I made to grab my Kunai Knives only to see that I didn't have them so now I was weaponless in Evil Forest.

"Can my day get any worse?" I asked no one in particular

"Growl"

I sighed in annoyance, "I just jinxed myself didn't I?" I turned to see a brown dog like creature, "A Fang? Okay if I play it smart this will be easy!" Two more Fangs came out as I said that, "I really need to keep my mouth shut!"

Looking around I saw a pair of Kunai's on the floor and I wasn't asking any questions like how it was there because I was grateful that they were there at all so I grabbed them.

"Iron Kunai's? This is better than my Rusty Kunai's!" The Fangs lunged at me one at a time so I ducked and stabbed on in the side where a main artery was killing it instantly before slicing the second's throat open and finally the third one I stabbed the Kunai right through his jaw.

Panting from the fight earlier I walked off heading for the crash site of the ship where the smoke was when I heard something that made my blood run cold.

*EEEEEEEK!*

I paled, "Princess Garnet!" I barely knew her but I would be damned if I walked away from someone who needed help… Damn my hero complex to hell!

I ran out to see the Prison Cage monster with Garnet inside of it, "Hey Veggie!" I shouted as I charged at it.

The Prison Cage swung its arm at me but I jumped over it and brought my Iron Kunai's out to slice into the second arm causing it to withdraw it in pain

"Don't worry Princess I'll have you out of there in no time!" I promised when I was about to cut the cage part open

"Look out!" Garnet cried and I looked to have the vine smack me right in the face sending me to crash into the tree

"I'm going to feel that in the morning!" I muttered before jumping to my feet and dodging another swipe, "You have to try harder than that to hit me Plant!" I taunted but I was slowing down due to exhaustion when the plant managed to hit my feet causing me to crash into the ground, "Okay you hit me."

I struggled to get up when the vine came at me again but a sword deflected it, "Stay out of this! I will not let you disgrace Alexandria by saving the princess!"

I looked at him, "You think you can beat this thing by yourself Steiner?" I struggled to get up when Zidane came up

"You okay?" He asked

"Besides being smacked around by a vegetable I'm fine thank you for asking." I said sarcastically

Zidane gave me a vial, "Drink it! It will help!"

Shrugging I drunk the vial and my wounds were disappearing and my energy was back, "So that was a Potion!" With that I brought my Kunai's out while Vivi was cowering, "Vivi can you use your fire spell here?" I asked

"I-I can't! I-I'm scared!" He said and I forgot that he was really a child who was lost right about now

"Don't worry about it then! Zidane, Steiner and I will save Princess Garnet!" I said

Zidane gave me a look, "How did you know my name?" He asked

I paled before I remembered something, "The guy who played King Leo said your name before the harpoon cannons were fired!"

He bought that thankfully but the monster came at us causing Zidane and I to jump while Steiner cut his way through the vines with his Broad Sword, "Princess I will save you!" He shouted

"Steiner we have to work together!" I said

"Like I will ally myself with a Thief!" He spat at me

While Zidane was busy fighting the monster I grabbed Steiner by the front of his Chainmail armor, "LISTEN RUSTY! First of all I'm not a Thief, I was a spectator in the audience and second of all the Princess is in trouble you need all the help you can get!"

He glared at me but he relented, "I suppose you have a plan?" He asked

I watched the Prison Cage, "Zidane and I are agile while you are powerful so we'll keep it busy while you go in for the kill right?"

He nodded accepting my reasoning, "Very well!" We took off as I signaled Zidane the plan so we were keeping it busy with it attacking us but eventually we were smacked back before Steiner stabbed his sword right in the chest so it knocked him back with us before grabbing Garnet and I saw pink energy

"Oh no!" I said as I realized what was going on.

"What?" Questioned Steiner

Zidane saw what was going on, "It's draining her energy!" He looked so pissed that there was a bright flash of light that made Steiner and I cover our eyes before it died down.

Zidane was glowing a light purplish color, "W-What is that light?!" Asked Steiner

"I don't know but I feel stronger!" Zidane said with a shrug

I recognized it, "That's Trance!"

Steiner's eyes widened in astonishment, "Trance? I've heard about it! It is said to be produced from a surge of emotion!"

"Try an attack!" I shouted as the Prison Cage came at us

Zidane nodded and shot a glowing orb of light, "FREE ENERGY!"

It exploded upon impact knocking the Prison Cage right into a tree as we got up, "Now we have it!" Steiner shouted but the Prison Cage panicked and disappeared through the trees.

"DAMN! It got away!" I muttered as I fell on my ass from fatigue.

"Princess? PRINCESS!" Shouted Steiner causing everyone to hold their ears in pain

"Geez Rusty, lower your voice!" Zidane muttered

Vivi sniffed, he looked like he was going to cry, "She's gone… I was too scared to cast any spells; the monster is probably going to eat her!"

Steiner's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as he freaked out, "How could I let this happen?!" He literally started to run around in circles.

I sighed as I rubbed the side of my head, "Calm down will ya?"

Steiner was about to shout at me but Zidane cut in, "He's right you need to calm down because she is alive! The monster was a minion so it has a master!"

Steiner stopped abruptly, "Then what are we waiting for?! We must save her!" Before he could go two steps another Prison Cage swooped in and grabbed Vivi.

"VIVI!" I shouted as I ran towards him but Zidane tackled me out of the way before I could be smacked by the vines

"Are you insane?!" Asked Zidane who glared at me, "You won't be helping anyone if you're dead!"

I breathed deeply, "Thank you Zidane!" With that I stood up and got in a stance, "But we need to get him out!"

"L-Let me go!" Vivi shouted, "FIRE!" He used his magic on the Prison Cage causing it to shriek in pain.

"VIVI KEEP USING YOUR SPELLS!" I shouted

Vivi nodded, "I-I'll try!" With that he did another fire spell while Steiner charged in there with his sword.

"As Captain of the Knights of Pluto I will slay this beast!" He declared slicing an arm off while Zidane sliced the other off.

I narrowed my eyes and threw my Kunai Knives right into the Prison Cage's eyes causing it to shriek in pain before it fell over letting Vivi out

Sighing in relief I ran over and got my Kunai Knives, "You okay Vivi?" I asked

He nodded, "Thank you!"

I laughed at the relief of the fight being over, "That was some powerful spell casting Vivi! You are one hell of a black mage!"

He pulled his hat shyly, "I didn't do much!"

Steiner looked at us, "Come on we must save the Princess!" That was when I remembered the Plant Spores

"Guys look out!" I managed to shout out before it sprayed the spores so I jumped backwards along with Zidane but Vivi and Steiner got a full blast of it

Vivi fainted instantly but Steiner was reaching up, "Pr-Princess!" He called out before he fainted

As the spores disappeared I ran towards Vivi, "Come on man wake up!" I shouted

"Help me get them back to the Prima Vista!" He grabbed Vivi and took off running before I realized he left me to carry Steiner in his heavy armor

"REALLY ZIDANE?!" I shouted and I swear that I heard him laugh as he made his way back.

Sighing in annoyance I picked up Steiner with great difficulty after grabbing my Kunai's first and I began the long trek back towards the Prima Vista which I know is the name of the Ship that Tantalus flew in on. Thankfully I wasn't attacked by any monsters on my way back but my arms were really sore and the ship was coming in sight when Zidane came walking back.

I glared at him, "You Jackass!"

He feigned an innocent look, "What? You didn't say anything when I picked the Black Mage up!"

"Just help me with him!" I said and he shrugged and grabbed Steiner's feet while I had him by his arms

"So you know my name, what's yours?" He asked as we approached the ship

I saw no harm in telling him, "Shinobi!"

He gave me a glance, "That's an unusual name!"

"Where I'm from it means Ninja!" I explained

"Ninja?" I was surprised that he didn't know what a Ninja was

"A warrior of the shadows that strikes fear in those who harm the innocent! We hide in the shadows to serve the light!"

… Did I just make an Assassin's Creed Reference in a Final Fantasy Video Game?

"Riiiight." I could tell that Zidane didn't believe me

"Believe what you want we need to get Sir Rustalot here some help!" I said

He chuckled, "I just know we're going to get along."

I shook my head at him and we got the Steiner in a room where he was given a potion to kill the seeds that were going to sprout inside of him, which is very gross by the way!

Once that was done Zidane went to talk with his Boss after introducing me to Marcus, Cinna and Blank

"So what's going to happen?" I asked Marcus as Blank went to check on Vivi.

"We're going to wait for the Boss to give the order!" Marcus answered, "Though I don't know how we're going to get out of this mess."

"We just kill whatever comes our way," I said, "Simple as that."

Blank shook his head and headed to Vivi's room, "It's not that easy." He commented before leaving.

(3rd Person POV)

Baku had his arms crossed, "Forget it! Monsters born out of Mist are Crawlin' everywhere."

Zidane shrugged, "So what? There's nothing out there we can't handle!"

"Yeah? But what are we going to do about the wounded?" Asked Baku with a raised eyebrow.

"We can take them with us!" Zidane suggested without hesitation but Baku shook his head.

"How are we going to carry all of them?" He asked before going on without an answer, "Trust me, we go out now and we'll all get wasted."

"But-!"

"My boys come before the Princess, you know… It's too bad."

At that Zidane was practically seething.

"We're going to stay put until everyone recovers!" Baku went to focus on something but he said one last thing, "You better not set one foot off this ship, you hear that?!"

Zidane turned away, "I can't believe that you're abandoning her! You're nothing but a coward!" With that he left the room.

Blank met him, "Hey I gave the medicine to that Black Mage kid and he wants to see you."

Zidane nodded, "Okay." With that he headed towards the Mage's room to see him laying down so he gently shook his shoulder.

"Oh!" The Mage sat up, "Th-thank you for helping me." He said timidly

Zidane waved the thanks away, "Ah don't mention it." Then he grinned, "Besides it was your black magic that saved the day, you know you have a lot of power for such a little guy!"

"…" Vivi was being silent.

Zidane sighed, "What's wrong? Are you peeved at me because I called you little?" When he didn't get an answer he continued, "Hey, you're a great mage with great power, to hell with looks, it's what's on the inside that counts."

"I'm sorry." Vivi confused Zidane for a second, "When that monster caught her, I couldn't do anything…"

Zidane gave him a smile, "Hey, don't worry about the Princess. I'll get her back! I promise!"

Vivi sighed in relief, "Thank you Mr. Zidane."

Chuckling Zidane scratched the side of his face, "Whoa… That's the first time anyone's called me 'MR'. Just call me Zidane."

"Okay…. Zidane." With that Zidane left the room in deep thought.

"Gee… He was pretty down." He mused, "Maybe I shouldn't have made that promise. I don't even know if I'll be able to find her."

For the next few minutes he only had the Princess on his mind so after a while he came to a decision, "She's cute and she's in trouble."

"You have a one track mind don't you?" Zidane spun around in shock to see Shinobi standing only a few feet away.

"Shit man!" Zidane placed a hand over his beating heart, "You ever think of being a thief with your stealth skills?"

"No." Shinobi said, "So you're going after her?"

Zidane confirmed his suspicions by nodding, "Yeah, I'm going to bring Rusty and Vivi with me, plus you if you want?"

"I have nothing better to do." Shinobi said honestly

Plus I have to stick with you for the main storyline. Shinobi thought with a smirk.

"There you are!" They turned to see Blank walking towards them so Shinobi left Zidane to talk to him and walked towards Rusty's room.

Marcus was gone so Shinobi used his Kunai Knife to pick the lock and he opened the door to see Steiner looking at a doll, "Aren't you a little old to be playing with Dolls?" He asked bringing attention to himself.

"YOU!" Shouted Steiner with a vein on his forehead.

"Me." Shinobi mocked, "Zidane, Vivi and I are going to look for the Princess and you're coming along as well since you would follow us anyway."

"How do I know it's not a trap?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

Shinobi pinched the bridge of his nose, "Look Steiner is it?" Once he got a nod he continued, "We just want to find and rescue the Princess and Zidane isn't a bad guy once you get to know him… Okay he's annoying as hell."

"Oh thanks." Speak of the devil, Zidane walked in, "I just talked to Boss and I left Tantalus."

"Nice one, I take it you beat him?" Shinobi earned a confused glance from Zidane

"How did you know we were fighting?" He asked in confusion

"I heard the noise before I came in here." Shinobi said, "Plus I figured talking to Steiner here would be good for having him come with us before talking to Vivi."

"I'll talk to him while you two wait in front of the ship." Zidane left

Steiner glared at his back and Shinobi was surprised that he didn't shout at him, "I don't trust that thief." He said finally, "But I will work with him if it means getting the Princess back safely."

Shinobi patted his back, "Well then Steiner lets go."

To Be Continued…

Haha sorry for the long wait but now I'm back with this story! Plus Shinobi will have a new ability unlocked in the Boss Fight so I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and please review!