A/N: Since I'm just replacing chapters over here, it might be easier for those of you who want to know the minute I update to pop on over to the AO3 version. Which FF.N does not seem to be allowing me to link to anywhere. Well, if you're motivated enough to look, you'll find it pretty easily. I'm going for weekly updates here, but I know myself well enough not to promise.
Updated: 6-21-2015
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"Please allow me a moment to confirm that I am indeed hearing you correctly, your plan of escape is to walk out in front of the entire audience, which includes the Queen and her army, and hope no one notices that you have acquired three more people, two of whom are mages and the other is myself?" Prince Zidane said, tone rising in disbelief with every word. The party stood in the hallway that lead from the central part of the castle to the area currently acting as the theater ship's dock; the Prince stood towards the back while the two actor-thieves stood closest to the lit area. The mages had taken up residence on either side of the center, Skyvra leaning against the wall as her daze darted back and forth between the two sides, Vivi adjusting his hat and gloves nervously.
"Well,"Kuja said, drawing himself up like he was about to unleash holy hell on his Prince, "We were hoping that you had enough sense to change into a disguise before running out to meet us like an witless buffoon." He tilted his chin up in challenge at the last few words, glancing sideways at where Skyvra was watching. "The mages, however, came out of nowhere."
"We do that," Skyvra pointed out with a shrug, looking more amused by the situation than anyone ever should be. Zidane mimicked Kuja's actions before, tail falling out of it's hiding place and thrashing like an angry cat's. Kuja blinked at that, the wind going entirely out of his sails as he stopped and stared.
"How did you plan on entering the royal quarters if I hadn't been directed to meet you? Surely you are aware that..." Zidane began to demand, interrupted by Skyvra clapping her hands together, sparks erupting out from the contact. She smiled, the smile of a monster right before it destroyed someone's home.
"So we all agree this plan is stupid, correct?" Seeing blank looks, she continued: "Then we'll follow a different one. Vivi and I already had our escape alllll planned out. Didn't we?" She waved her hand at her beloved student, indicating that he should speak up. Zidane shot her a look that read 'You have a plan? You? Really?' only with far too many words which she promptly ignored.
"Yes, w-we did, but I don't..." Vivi began, stuttering slightly, about to voice his doubts about the plan. Skyvra slashed a hand through the air, cutting him off.
"See, I told you. You," she pointed at Blank, "Go tell your boss that we'll meet up in Lindblum. You," she pointed at Kuja, "Come with us, we might need your clothes." The three of them stared at her like she had lost her mind while Vivi inwardly quaked at the idea of going over a waterfall. She rolled her eyes skyward, jerking a thumb in the direction of the quickly melting guard before striding off, expecting her orders to be obeyed.
"I..." Blank began, exchanging a look with Kuja, trailing off when he realized he couldn't think of anything to say. As one, they saluted each other, Blank heading to the ship to report and Kuja going after the Prince and the Black Mage, both of whom were a half step behind the deranged red mage.
"Where are we headed?" Zidane had the good sense to ask, eyes glued to the back of Skyvra's head, blue-white hair whipping behind her in her hurry. She glanced back at him, the seriousness in her eyes contrasting with the grin on her lips.
"We're gonna steal a boat!" She announced gleefully.
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"Prin-Your Majesty," Steiner began, hastily correcting himself, kneeling at the side of her throne. Queen Garnet glanced at him, eyes coolly dismissive. "Shouldn't we of the Knights of Pluto be responsible for the Prince's safety instead of General Beatrix?" He had came as quickly as he could have when one of his knights commented on seeing the General escort Zidane back to his quarters. Normally they didn't have anything to do but listen to palace gossip, but with a so to be Consort in the castle, soon they would have a proper job and could prove that men were equal to women and could be trusted.
"You may escort him where ever he wishes after the wedding, but until then, he's in Beatrix's care." Queen Garnet stated, redirecting her attention to the stage. Something dramatic was happening, but she was finding it impossible to care less about what was going on when tomorrow all her plans would come to fruition. Marriage was considered to be an unbreakable bond in the world they currently lived in, and as the female of the relationship, she had all the rights.
"But Your h-Majesty," Steiner protested, looking down. She sighed, studying him for a moment.
"If it really means that much to you, go stand guard in front of his door until it's time for dinner." With a single wave of her hand, Steiner was dismissed.
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"Does anyone else hear something that sounds like a drawer of silverware walking about?" Skyvra asked from the prow of the gondola that took visitors from the castle back to the main town. Kuja and Zidane had been unwillingly zapped into rowing while Vivi made sure no one was following them. The Prince and the thief stopped rowing to look at her, Vivi sighing and slumping over in defeat. "Didn't think so," she sighed, fingers sparking in a threatening manner, Kuja and Zidane exchanged looks and started rowing again.
"We aren't going to get anywhere with this," Kuja said, clearly not happy with being forced into manual labor in a boat that only had two places to travel between. Zidane made a sound of agreement, wondering why he was forced to row with him when it made much more sense to magic the gondola into working. Skyvra had said it was a bonding exercise, and that complainers would be zapped, so he knew better than to complain.
"Sure we are. We just have to go over the waterfall, float through the evil forest, then crash into the west river-bank, get through the ice-caves and we're free because nothing ever happens in Dali." Skyvra explained, tapping the gondola to check whether or not it was sturdy enough to survive that. The older ones could have, but these felt so flimsy that she felt she had better reinforce it with a protect spell. They stopped moving forward again, both men openly gawking at her.
"That's your plan?" Kuja squawked, Zidane couldn't even find his voice. Skyvra glanced at them, coming to the realization that they were moving too slowly and were going to get caught.
"It's a sound plan," she said, nodding once, carefully making her way to the back of the boat. As she passed Vivi, she knocked his hat askew with the same fondness most people would ruffle a child's hair. He toddled past her to sit behind Zidane.
"I told you you wouldn't like it," he muttered quietly, wondering if maybe it would be safer to hide underneath the seat, because the glint in his teacher's eye told him he would not like the next couple minutes.
"Are we ready?" Skyvra called from the back, one hand in the water. Kuja and Zidane exchanged looks, feeling a chill go down their spines.
"Ready for what?" Zidane called back, instinctively dropping the oars to clutch the seat like a lifeline, Kuja mimicked him.
"This!" Suddenly the gondola was forced forward, propelled by a wind spell used creatively. None of them could tell who was screaming: all of them or just one, but it echoed like it was twenty. Knowing that the waterfall was just ahead, with a forest filled with monsters at the bottom just made it worse.
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TBC
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Thanks to all for reading and reviewing over the years, I appreciate it.