The Reunion
Chapter Six - To Alexandria
Thursday night came swift as Zidane sat out on the balcony of Alexandria Castle. There wasn't a star in the night sky, and Zidane continued to stare into space, thinking about all that had happened earlier that day and the pact he had made with Necron, the 'darkness of eternity.' After they left the Iifa Tree, he, Garnet, and Mikoto went to Madain Sari to see the moogles. They got one of the moogles to send a letter to Lindblum, ordering Regent Cid to not let any airships pass around the Iifa Tree. They also warned the dwarves of Conde Petie, telling them not to let anyone pass their village at the time. The dwarves, knowing of the violent reactions of the Iifa Tree vines, gave them confused looks but said "Okay" nonetheless. Zidane thought about all of these events of the day as he sat out on the balcony, but his thoughts always traveled back to the pact. After a while, Garnet came out to see how he was doing. She was dressed in a night gown and looked very beautiful.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Come on, the reunion begins tomorrow. Can't we just...forget about things until this weekend and enjoy the time that we have?"
Zidane stood up, turned to face Garnet and stared at the moon reflected in her beautiful eyes. "She's so breathtaking," he thought to himself, before speaking to her in a soft, quiet voice.
"Dagger...do you understand the importance of that pact, and what we have to face Sunday evening? We barely survived Necron the first time, and Kuja helped with teleporting us out of there. Should anything happen to any of us this time, or to you...I..."
"Zidane," interrupted Garnet in an even softer voice, "I don't care what happens. We have two days in between that time to just enjoy the reunion. Let's live it to the fullest, as Necron told us. And on Sunday, we will face him again...with all that we can face him with. Please, Zidane...don't worry about me. I just want to be here, with you right now."
Garnet continued staring at Zidane, perhaps ready to plead with him some more. However, Zidane walked over and wrapped Garnet in a hug. He then whispered in her ear.
"Thanks, Dagger...I'm glad you're so strong about all this. And you're right. We need to just enjoy our lives this weekend. What happens Sunday, will happen. We can't do anything about it right now. So yes...let's enjoy the time we have. But I promise you one thing...you're coming back to Alexandria...you're going to live on. I will make sure of that."
"Oh, Zidane...," Garnet responded, "We will all come out of it okay. Don't worry. We've been through so much already, and we can defeat Necron again."
Zidane let go of Garnet to look at her again. He could never find the words to explain to her just how much better she made him feel. Just how much more confident he was, with her there. She was helping him out tremendously, just as he had helped her in the past. They always tried to be there for each other, no matter what, and Zidane finally found his voice.
"Dagger...I..love you."
Garnet looked back at Zidane for a moment, then in her beautiful voice, said "I love you too, Zidane."
They embraced again, and spent the night out on the balcony, wrapped in each other's arms.
"No, we have to wait for the tree to grow some more before we build that!"
"Well...okay, if you say so, Sir Fratley."
A Burmecian soldier and Fratley were discussing the re-building of Cleyra on Friday morning around 11:00 A.M. A few of the surviving Cleyrans were helping them, as well. While the re-building was going quite well, they really couldn't do or build anything else until the tree grew some more. Fratley looked around at the soldier's dismayed reaction of not building the Cathedral right now.
"Look, we need to let the tree grow some more before we go re-building what was here. From the brief time I remember being here before it was destroyed, this tree was vast and extremely large. I would like to at least get it to being like it was before, or at least close to it."
The soldier nodded his head in agreement. They went back to work on clearing a path up the trunk that would go up to Cleyra. The tree had already grown back a good deal (enough to make a path that constantly went upward), but Fratley wanted to wait a few more months before building everything that the town of Cleyra had. In a few months' time, the tree would be close to its original size.
Shortly after Fratley walked toward the bottom of the tree to see how everything was coming along, Freya showed up. She had a determined, somewhat excited look on her face as she spoke to Fratley.
"Everything going well?"
Fratley smiled back and said "As well as possible. Just have to wait for the tree to grow a little more before the town is re-built."
Freya was glad that Fratley had not lost his memory anymore since five years ago. She always wondered how he lost his memory in the first place, and wanted to ask him on Saturday when he would be coming to Alexandria and everyone would be there. She wouldn't have dared ask him before, but nowadays, it seemed as though Fratley's memory was beginning to come back to him, or at least pieces of it. She was hopeful that it would all return...someday.
"So...," began Fratley, "I guess you're almost ready to head to Alexandria for the start of the reunion?"
Freya gave him a slightly excited look and said "What makes you think that?"
"What makes me not think that?" Fratley laughed. "You've been talking about it non-stop since Monday. So what are you waiting for? Go for it!"
Just then, the voice of a medium-sized rat was heard. "Did I hear something about the reunion?"
Freya and Fratley looked back toward the direction of the upward path of the tree. Prince Puck, the small rat of years ago, was not so small anymore. He had grown somewhat, but still wasn't very big compared to other rats of his age. He came running down the path toward Freya and Fratley.
"Prince Puck!" exclaimed Freya. "I haven't seen you in over a year! How have you been? Or better yet, where have you been?"
"Hey Freya," said Puck, "I've just been laying low and taking it easy for a while at Gizamaluke's Grotto. It's peaceful there, but I get around to other places too. Just haven't been by here in a while. I still have nightmares about that stupid Antlion!"
Freya laughed, then asked Puck about the reunion. "How did you find out about it? Did you get an invitation as well?"
"No, but I heard about it from one of the Qu's at the Qu's Marsh. S/he sounded really excited about it, but would not shut the hell up about food!"
"Haha, had to be Quina then," Freya replied. "So, you heading to the reunion too?"
"Yeah, I figured I would come see how the re-building of Cleyra was coming along first. I see Sir Fratley is doing a great job on it though." Puck looked around at the tree, then turned back to Freya and said "I was also thinking about visiting you before I went, too."
"Well, what do you say we go together then?" Freya exclaimed. "I already know how I'm going to get to Alexandria and everything."
"Sure," Puck answered, "Sounds good to me."
Fratley now spoke up. "Well, now that you two have made your decision to go together, I really need to get back up the tree and see how the few Burmecians and Cleyrans who are helping are doing. I'll see you tomorrow, Freya. I'll be there sometime in the afternoon."
"Okay, Fratley, take care." She kissed him, then turned back to Puck. "Ready?"
"You know it!" replied Puck. "I was born ready!"
As Fratley headed back up the tree, Freya and Puck headed in the opposite direction, leaving the Cleyra Tree behind and walking back toward Burmecia and Gizamaluke's Grotto.
"So, Freya...," Puck spoke, "How were you planning to get to Alexandria? Just take the North Gate to the other side and going that short distance?"
"Not exactly," answered Freya, "I was actually planning on going through the Grotto and going to Lindblum first."
When Puck gave her a slightly confused look, Freya simply said "You'll see what I have in mind."
The two of them turned south and headed to Gizamaluke's Grotto. It was nice living in a mist-free world, with no monsters. Inside the Grotto, Puck asked Freya a question.
"Freya, I've just been dying to know this for a while now, and I just have to ask it."
"What is it?" asked Freya. "Is it about whether Fratley and I are going to get married?"
"Oh no, nothing like that," said Puck. "I just wondered...why doesn't it rain all the time in Burmecia anymore? It's puzzled me for some time."
"Oh...," answered Freya, "Well, before, it had to do with the mist. The mist was causing it to rain all the time in Burmecia, plus us rats like rain, as you should know. So, we would perform sacred rain dances to keep it raining 24/7."
"I know that," said Puck, "Seeing as I lived there for a while with my dad when he was King of Burmecia. So the mist is the reason it doesn't rain all the time anymore?"
"Sort of," said Freya. "We also don't perform the rain dances as much. We all figure that it's nice to have a good balance between sun and rain."
"Oh...okay", Puck responded, who still looked confused nonetheless.
Freya felt that there were no worries at all anymore in this world as they came easily out of the other side of the Grotto. "Yes, the world is at peace. All is at peace," she kept thinking.
As Freya and Puck walked around the mountain toward Lindblum, Freya suddenly had another idea in mind. "Hey, Puck, let's stop by the Qu's Marsh and see if Quina is around! S/he can go with us."
Puck gave Freya a slightly disgusted look. "Well, if you wish, Freya. But those Qu's are very odd creatures."
"Well, Quina did help save the world, too," Freya responded. "It's blue magic really came in handy at times. What did you do to help save the world, Prince Puck?"
"Oh shut up," snapped Puck. Freya laughed as they entered the Qu's Marsh.
All seemed quiet in Lindblum Grand Castle that afternoon. Then...
"DAD, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO ALEXANDRIA?"
"I've told you, Eiko, soon!" Regent Cid replied angrily. He was getting tired of her asking every minute.
Eiko, Cid, and Hilda were sitting in the conference room. While Cid and Hilda continued to discuss something quietly, Eiko just sat there very impatiently. "Gah, they're doing this to me on purpose! They just want to make me wait and see how impatient I get!" Eiko thought.
A few minutes later, when Eiko looked like she couldn't take it anymore and was ready to drag her mother and father to the Hilda Garde 5, they finally stood up.
"Okay, Eiko", said the Regent. "We will leave in five minutes. Can you wait five more minutes?"
Eiko gave him a look of complete impatience. "I'll tryyyyyy! But please, hurrrrrrry!"
At that moment, a Lindblum soldier appeared in the doorway of the conference room. "Regent, there are three people here to see you. Two rats and...a Qu."
"REALLY?" yelled Eiko at the top of her lungs. She ran by the Lindblum soldier and out of the conference room as fast as she could. There, standing in front of the lift, were Freya, Quina, and Prince Puck. "FREYA! QUINA!"
Eiko ran up to them and hugged them. "It's been so long since I've seen either of you! This is great! A reunion! I CAN'T WAIT to get to Alexandria!" She turned to look at Puck. "Hmm...I sort of remember you at the play in Alexandria five years ago. But, I don't remember your name...let's see, I think it started with a 'P'...Poo, or something?"
Puck gave her a look of anger and disbelief. "Poo? POO? Hell no, my name isn't Poo! It's Puck! Prince Puck! Remember it and get it right next time!"
"Alright, calm down...Poo," Freya added with a snicker. Eiko couldn't help but laugh, then Quina spoke.
"Need get to Alexandria for reunion...I cook succulent meal for everyone!"
"Oh, brother...," Puck sighed. "Freya, wh-"
"Hush, or we will leave you here," said Freya.
"Hello, great to see all of you!" said Cid, as he walked toward them and shook their hands. "I suppose you're also wanting an airship ride to Alexandria?"
"Indeed," answered Freya. "But I'm in no hurry, if you need more time..."
"Of course she's in a hurry!" Eiko cut in. "So LET'S GO!"
"Alright, alright," said Cid. "I must speak with Zidane about something anyway. You see, Freya, he sent me a letter yesterday about the Iifa Tr-"
"Yes, we know, dad!" yelled Eiko, "And my moogle Morrison brought the letter. You all can talk about it when we get there!"
Seeing as no one was going to get much talking in with Eiko there, Cid decided to lead the way to the airship dock. Eiko ran closely behind him, followed by Hilda, Freya, Quina, and Puck, who still didn't like the idea of Quina going with them.
When the six of them got to the airship docks, Baku greeted them.
"You need a ride, too, Baku?" Cid asked him.
"Nah, me and the boys are gonna take the Hilda Garde 3 there later. I was just checkin' that the airship ran okay and everythin'. And I heard yer advice about not going near the Iifa Tree...I understand."
"Okay, Baku," replied Cid, "I'm going to speak with Zidane about it today and see what he means by it. Well, see you later, I guess."
Eiko had already boarded the silvery Hilda Garde 5, and the others were getting into it, as well. Before long, the airship was off, rising into the air gracefully as it did before, and flying off, toward Alexandria and its proud castle.
Zidane and Steiner were sitting outside on the balcony of Alexandria Castle. Zidane was almost as excited as Eiko about the reunion, and was ready to see everyone, wondering all the time when they would get there.
"You love this balcony, don't you, Zidane?" asked Steiner. "You're always out here!"
"Well, Rusty...," began Zidane, "Great view, nice breeze of air, very romantic when Dagger is out here and we are under the moonlight..." Zidane looked up and smiled at Steiner. He was trying to get on Steiner's nerves, and it was working.
"Why, you...you... accursed monkey!"
"That the best you got?" said Zidane. He laughed as Steiner gave him an angry look. Then, he turned to look up at the sky, and saw it: The Hilda Garde 5. "They're here!" yelled Zidane. He ran inside to find Garnet and Beatrix.
"Dagger! Beatrix! They're here! I'll meet all of you outside!"
Zidane ran out to the front of the castle. As the Hilda Garde 5 got closer to the castle, Zidane directed Cid to land the airship in front of the castle, beside the left tower. Cid landed it, and Zidane ran to greet them.
"Hey, Cid! What's up?"
Before Cid or anyone else could get another word in, Eiko ran off the airship as fast as she could. "ZIDANE! I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU!" She ran up and hugged him, as Freya, Quina, Cid, Puck, and Hilda got off the airship.
"Hey, Eiko!" said Zidane. "It's good to see that you haven't changed much." As Eiko continued to hug him, he looked up at the others. "Hey, Freya, nice to see you too. And Quina. Ah, Puck, you came too? Lady Hilda, as well? Hehe, nice to see you all again."
As they stood out there talking about others that would be showing up later, the boat that took people to and from the castle and back to the town was coming up to the castle. One of the Alexandrian soldiers was paddling it, and in it was a man with long, red hair. It was the Flaming Amarant.
"Hey, Amarant!" called out Zidane, as Garnet, Steiner, and Beatrix came out of the castle. Zidane continued. "Ah, looks like everyone is here!"
"Yes, everyone except Master Vivi," Steiner blurted out. Everyone turned to look at him in shock. "Oops, I mean...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that."
For it was Vivi who would not be joining them. Out of the eight who had saved the world... he was the one who had died... or as Vivi would have put it, "stopped moving..."
The next chapter will be up around the middle of January most likely. Happy New Year to everyone.