Start Date: March 18, 2023
Windwillow
Final Fantasy IX: The Reason and Right to Exist
Chapter Four: The Festival of the Hunt
Scene One
The destination seemed set: Lindblum. Even so both Dagger and Zidane realized that Steiner was lying. When he entered the cargo ship first, presumably to clear the way for everyone else, they'd shared a glance that quietly confirmed that they were on the same page. It was when the airship first started, however, that their doubt turned to a necessity to climb aboard as soon as possible. As Zidane moved to scale the ladder he felt a soft tug and turned his eyes down to find a very timid Vivi staring up at him, and the thief quietly dropped down from the ladder and took Vivi in his arms.
"Do they really... look like me?" murmured Vivi.
Zidane shook his head and stroked the black mage's head. "They're just dolls... and you are not a doll. Whether it means anything is irrelevant - we need to move forward. I'm counting on you to protect Dagger too, okay?" he asked softly. "We can't count on Rusty. It's on us. Now, just climb on up and we'll follow."
Vivi quietly nodded his head and turned to the ladder, soon after beginning to scale it with Dagger right behind him. As the pair ascended Zidane followed at the rear and, unable to resist any further, gingerly reached up to Dagger and patted her on the butt. His only reward was a boot in the face that nearly knocked him off the ladder, and Zidane begrudgingly followed his angered accomplice as the cargo ship began to fly away. Standing together on the edge of the airship Zidane reached over to Dagger to apologize but she rebuffed him and entered the cabin with Vivi, then coldly slammed the door in Zidane's face.
"Yeah, I overstepped a bit..." Zidane sighed. "Nice and soft, though." When the door opened it smacked Zidane in the teeth and nearly jolted him off the airship, though he quickly recovered and watched as Dagger desperately pulled him inside the cabin. As he entered Zidane's eyes went wide when he saw that the black mage dolls were the one manning the ship, with Vivi frantically attempting to engage them in conversation. It finally clicked for the thief: the finished products brought the newly developed models to the castle themselves.
"No matter what I say, they aren't responding..." Vivi moaned as he hung his head. "Like they really are just dolls..." Dagger silently took Vivi in her arms and cradled him, holding him to her chest as Zidane scaled the next ladder and arrived at the top floor of the cargo ship. It was there that he saw Steiner laying flat on his back, breathing heavily and nearly in tears. As Steiner mumbled and moaned Zidane quietly moved towards the knight and shook him out of his stupor by nudging his head with his foot.
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Steiner shrieked, leaping to his feet and grabbing Zidane by both shoulders.
"Down below. Cool your jets and go visit if you like," said Zidane coolly as he moved past Steiner and headed towards the bridge, where he found yet another black mage doll manning the steering wheel. He quietly nudged the black mage aside, took hold of the wheel, and violently spun it in the opposite direction, causing the entire cargo ship to nearly list as it changed course from Alexandria to Lindblum, with the black mage wordlessly staring at Zidane as he took control of the airship and began to steer it towards his destination.
"What did you just do, you little monkey?!" snarled Steiner as he stormed onto the bridge.
"Took over the wheel, obviously. We've changed course to Lindblum," Zidane said casually. Now livid, Steiner grabbed hold of his broadsword and slashed at Zidane, but the tailed thief simply somersaulted backwards and grabbed hold of a pipe with his tail, leaving him hanging with an impossibly irritating grin on his face. Well, it was impossibly irritating to Steiner, at least. While the two tussled violently Zidane caught sight of the bottom hatch opening to reveal Dagger and Vivi, who hurried to the front of the ship where they were confronted by a winged assailant.
This Black Waltz was a hulking creature, tall and stocky, that carried a long staff in its right hand. Its wings were much more pronounced than its predecessors, almost more like an eagle's than the bats and ravens that the first Black Waltzes had resembled. The Black Waltz No. 3 flicked its fingers and zapped Vivi with a rough charge of lightning that blasted him to his back, and as Dagger took him in her arms she contemptuously glared at the puppet with hatred in her eyes.
"Get lost, you monster!" Dagger spat.
"I'm afraid you'll be coming with me," rasped the Black Waltz. "The rest are collateral damage and will be disposed of."
"You son of a...!" hissed Dagger. Although the Black Waltz formed a mass of lightning in its free hand the construct faltered as a stream of the black mage dolls formed a circle around Vivi and Dagger. The dolls stared down at Vivi as Dagger began to heal him, and quietly turned on their heels and prepared a fire spell. The Black Waltz was furious and lashed out its hand, releasing a burst of energy that blasted both the black mages confronting him and the black mages being shipped in the barrels on the side of the cargo ship to go flying.
The dolls that had attempted to protect Vivi were shattered to bits and their remaining shrapnel battered against the faces of both Vivi and Dagger. As the lightning began to intensify the remaining black mages that were contained inside the star-marked barrels were shattered as well, their remains falling limp onto the Mist-infested land beneath, a death sentence to anything living or non-living. Vivi rushed to the side of the ship and stared as the dolls fell to their deaths, and he quietly breathed out a prayer before dropping to his knees.
"Why cry? All I did was break a few toys..." chuckled the Black Waltz. The Black Waltz stepped back as a steel blade cut open a hole in its face, and as Zidane caught his boomerang and brandished it the construct angrily narrowed his eyes at the buccaneer. "And you're the dashing hero, come to the rescue?" it mocked cruelly.
"Oh, you are so dead!" snarled Zidane. With Steiner's sword drawn Zidane prepared to engage the Black Waltz, though it simply conjured up another lightning spell and stretched back its hand. Everyone stopped cold, however, when a burst of white light engulfed Vivi and swallowed him whole. As the light began to fade it soon shattered to reveal a very-much changed Vivi. The jacket he wore was replaced by black robes, and his pointy hat had immediately jutted straight up like a spire. His breath quickened, Zidane felt a cold chill when he sensed Vivi's fiery new aura.
"GO AWAY!" Vivi screeched. He silently lifted both hands and a thick spiral of flames erupted from his fingers, releasing a massive gust of fiery wind that scorched the Black Waltz in the face and blew it clear off the airship. Vivi's breath began to calm as his Trance faded and he dropped to his back, with Dagger soon after taking him and cradling him to her heart.
"Enough Black Waltzes!" boomed Steiner.
"That was the last one," said Zidane as he sheathed his weapons.
"And you know how?!" Steiner hissed.
"A waltz has three parts, genius. If you can count that high you ought to know that we're safe," Zidane chuckled. "Hopefully math doesn't fry your brain." Enraged, Steiner swung his sword at Zidane again only to miss yet again, leaving him to fume as Zidane moved into the cabin and found Dagger manning the wheel. From inside he could see Vivi sitting in mourning in front of one of the black mages' discarded hats, but knew that he couldn't do anything to help the poor boy. From what Zidane could tell Dagger had steered away from Alexandria and towards South Gate, which would lead straight to Lindblum. The two shared a brief smile before Steiner staggered inside the cabin and let out an unholy shriek.
"I-It's coming back!" screeched Steiner. "The Black Waltz!"
"Gun it, Dagger!" Zidane shouted. Steiner's jaw dropped to his knees and he whimpered softly as Dagger flung the wheel around, moving the cargo ship towards South Gate at breakneck speeds. As the airship began to pick up speed Zidane stared out at the deck and found Vivi still mourning, staring at the hat with a dull look on his face. Zidane grit his teeth and hurried out of the cabin just as the Black Waltz shot past the cargo ship in its own airship, nicking the hat and sending it flying to the winds.
The Black Waltz began to charge up a lightning spell and prepared to attack Vivi, but the black mage again surged into Trance and nuked the construct with a powerful fire spell before falling flat on his face. While the Black Waltz struggled to right his ship Zidane dashed towards the front of the cargo ship and, just as they entered South Gate, he grabbed hold of Vivi's wrist and kept the both of them from flying off by gripping onto a pole with his free hand.
It was a mad dash through the tunnel of South Gate, with the Black Waltz in hot pursuit and the forward gate already beginning to close. While Zidane struggled to keep both himself and Vivi from falling to their deaths the Black Waltz zoomed past them, summoning an immense amount of lightning to its fingers. Unfortunately for it, however, its own spell caught its airship's engine on fire and, as the cargo ship barely sailed through South Gate, the Black Waltz's airship crashed head long into the tunnel and badly damaged it. Even so, it was a victory... at a cost. South Gate would remain badly damaged for quite some time to come.
Scene Two
Leaving behind a damaged South Gate the cargo ship continued onward, passing by several small and medium-sized craft as it moved through the sky. Zidane dragged an unconscious Vivi into the cabin and propped him up against the door, ruffling his hat affectionately as the black mage drifted off to sleep. He quietly patted a triumphant Dagger on the back as she navigated through the air, and cast one final glare at Steiner that the knight didn't appreciate.
Within half an hour the cargo ship finally approached its destination: Lindblum. As the airship cut through the sky the massive city loomed in the distance, with a size that put even Alexandria to shame. Lindblum was an absolutely gigantic complex located at the bottom left corner of the Mist Continent, and boasted a population in the tens of thousands. The entire structure was contained in a massive gate, which as the cargo ship passed through led into a huge city with multiple districts.
Inside the sprawling metropolis Lindblum was divided into three segments: the Business District, the Industrial District, and the Theater District that also served as a residential area for some of the less affluent citizens. While they passed through the city Zidane caught sight of a flag bearing Lindblum's royal crest, and carefully directed Dagger to move through the central gate into the main airship dock.
The cargo ship was received by the dock and allowed passage, eventually coming to a stop in front of a large platform that led further into Lindblum Grand Castle. As the airship began to lock itself inside the gate Vivi stared out in amazement at the splendor of the place that he'd passed into. The airship dock was massive, easily holding even the largest of airships, and there was a passage through the dock that was connected directly to the main lobby of the castle. Steiner was in shock and watched as they began to dock.
"This could hold Her Majesty's Red Rose without a single bit of effort..." murmured Steiner, in awe. After finally coming to rest the party exited the cargo ship and moved onto the main platform of the Lindblum Grand Castle. As they moved past multiple engineers, several of whom had been sent to examine the cargo ship, they were confronted by three armed guards. Two of them wore pointed hats and were known as Bishops, while the second type was a red-armored Rook. All three wielded hooked hammers as weapons. With Dagger in the lead they walked down the runway and finally met the soldiers at the midpoint of the hangar.
"State your business!" snapped the Rook.
Dagger politely bowed to the soldier and lifted herself back up with the grace only a princess could achieve. "I am Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, crown princess of the Kingdom of Alexandria, and I seek an audience with Regent Cid of the fine nation of Lindblum," she said politely. "I hope you can accommodate me, Sir."
"Yeah, right! No noble would ride in this rickety piece of scrap! Get lost!" the Rook growled. When Dagger held up her pendant, however, the Rook's eyes went wide and he stumbled back a few paces. "The... Falcon's Claw? No... It's different, but..." he stammered. "I shall call the minister!" screeched the soldier, turning on his heel and breaking into a dead run further into the castle.
When the Rook returned he was no longer alone. The nobleman who received them was tall and wore a brown overcoat, blue trousers, and carried a large, green book that doubtless contained secrets that other nations would kill for inside. Although he seemed uncomfortable the nobleman, once he saw Dagger, brushed the Rook aside and stretched out his arms as the princess threw herself into his embrace, and as she hugged him tighter he softly stroked her long brown hair affectionately.
"Uncle Artania!" Dagger choked. "I was hoping to see you, too... May I see-"
"Come this way, Your Highness," the Minister said softly, quietly guiding her through the gates of the castle as her friends followed close behind. Artania led the party through a small lobby and into a lift that led to the upper levels of the castle. They exited and moved through a long corridor until they reached a room with a huge throne, with checkerboard patterns on the walls and floors. Artania hurried over to the throne and knelt before it. "Your Highness, it is the princess!" he called out.
While at first there seemed to be no one on the royal throne, as Zidane and the others entered the room a tiny white beard peeked out from behind it, soon after joined by its bearer - an Oglop dressed in royal robes. As the Oglop hobbled down the stairs Steiner hurried forward to swat it to death. Dagger quickly put herself in his way, arms thrown far aside, and shook her head resolutely.
"Only one living being in the world has that mustache!" insisted Dagger.
"-Gwok, Gwok-... Welcome. I am Cid Fabool, Regent of Lindblum," the Oglop chittered cheerfully. "You've become a fine young woman, Princess Garnet."
Artania quickly stepped up and lifted his hand. "If I may... Six months ago the Regent was attacked in his sleep and morphed into the form of an Oglop. In addition, his wife Queen Hilda was abducted," explained the minister. "The attacker has yet to be identified."
"That's horrible!" Dagger gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Hang on, I see a glaring problem here. For the attacker to get to the Regent, he'd need to be able to not only move through the palace but the Regent's bedroom..." murmured Zidane. A slight twinkle in his eye unnerved both Cid and Artania.
"Someone who was welcome in Uncle Cid's bedroom..." Dagger muttered. "You don't think-"
"And I'll leave it at that, Regent," Zidane said slyly as he bowed his head.
"At any rate... Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Uncle Cid," said Dagger politely.
"All of you must be horribly exhausted. I suggest that we adjourn for the night and meet in the morning," said Cid. He sighed and adjusted his mustache, casting an uncomfortable look to Dagger. "And I... have words to exchange with you about... well..." he muttered. Dagger quickly formed a theory and narrowed her eyes at the Regent, but said nothing as the party was escorted to their bedrooms for the night.
Parallel Perspective: An Old Friend and Soup du Silence
Zidane didn't stay the night at the castle, and didn't remain there for a meal. Instead he went to the Industrial District, where he sought out a local tavern that he and his Tantalus mates frequented. As he entered he noticed that the day's special was Soup du Silence, a hearty vegetable soup that was very popular with the locals. When Zidane entered he took notice of a number of less-than-savory characters, including a strange woman in red garb sitting at the bar.
"Hey, Pops. Gimme the stupid special," Zidane shouted.
Bobo angrily slammed his fist on the bar, but upon seeing who was talking he relented and simply scowled. "Oh, it's you, you little jerk. How long has it been?" asked Bobo. "I haven't seen you and Baku in weeks."
"Things... happened... Can I have a drink?" muttered Zidane. The barkeeper smilingly poured Zidane a mug of beer and slid it down the bar, where the thief caught it, snatched it up, and took a deep chug. As he drank a lovely young barmaid caught his eye and he reached out to touch her butt. "Wanna take an airship ride with me, baby?" he tittered. She promptly knocked his hand away, raised her arm, and slammed it hard into Zidane's face before storming off, leaving the monkey-tailed brigand to nurse his injury before returning to his beer.
"Hey, you dirty-ass monkey! You're ruining the booze!" shouted a voice from Zidane's left. His cheeks rosy red Zidane swiveled around to face his attacker but simply found it to be his old friend Freya Crescent, a Burmecian. Burmecians were a race of rat/human hybrids with pointed noses and rat-like feet. This individual was dressed as a mixture of a red mage and a Dragoon, with the bright red robes and cap of a red mage with a bronze breastplate on her front and a long, bladed pole arm strapped to her back.
"And you're spoiling the food, you dirty-ass rat," Zidane shot back. Freya furiously shoved herself from the bar and, drawing her spear, laid it straight at Zidane's neck. Zidane simply smiled and took a chug of his beer. "Funny, I didn't know rodents used weapons," he chuckled.
"You son of a...! Do you even recognize me, you jackass?!" snapped Freya.
"I never forget a friend, Freya," said Zidane with a crooked smile on his face. "How you been doing? You look like you need a drink."
Although Freya removed her weapon from Zidane's neck, her scowl remained. "You haven't changed at all, you bastard. Three years and you're still the same ass that you've been your entire life," she growled. She quietly shuffled back onto her bar stool and grabbed hold of her beer mug. "I guess you never had a chance of changing, judging by the fact that you tried to molest the barmaid... And, as usual, she beat the snot out of you, as she should," she chuckled.
"You ever find your boyfriend?" Zidane asked. When he watched her avert her eyes the thief sighed and patted her on the shoulder. Time doesn't heal all wounds, it seemed. "Sorry, I overstepped. Consider the matter closed."
"Do you intend to enter the Festival of the Hunt this year?" wondered Freya.
Zidane shook his head and turned his eyes back to his drink. "Nah... I've got some business to take care of..." he mumbled. Not only did he have Dagger to worry about, but his idea for a custom dagger was burning a hole in his wallet. "Have you made your decision yet about Burmecia?"
"Burmecia has nothing for me any longer. I don't even know if they want me back..." sighed Freya.
"It doesn't matter how far you stray... home is home. Even Baku welcomed me back after I ditched him. You'll go back someday..." Zidane said with a smile on his face, shortly before he stretched out his knuckles to his friend.
"If you're wrong, I'm gonna beat your sorry butt," Freya shot back as she bumped knuckles with the monkey.
Parallel Perspective: Dagger, Cid, and A Shameful Secret
"Is your mother in good spirits?" asked Cid. Both he and Dagger had returned to the throne room to talk after they'd spent their nights in their bedrooms. When he saw Dagger's reticence, the Regent quietly shook his head and sighed. "I suspected as much..." he mumbled.
"I... decided to stow away on the theater ship to come here. I hope that that's not too much of an inconvenience..." murmured Dagger.
"Inconvenience? Think nothing of it! I am, after all, the one who sent them to kidnap you in the first place," Cid said slyly.
"What?!" Dagger choked.
Cid stroked his mustache and dropped down onto the throne with a sigh. "I made a promise to your father that I would always protect you. My agents have been telling me about her unusual behavior for several weeks now, but if I'd acted on my suspicions there would have been war," he said flatly. "So, I called in a favor with the boss of Tantalus and sent him to kidnap you. I never anticipated you wanted to be kidnapped, however..."
"At... the village of Dali, my friends and I saw black mage dolls being constructed in preparation to ship to Alexandria Castle. I..." Dagger paused and shook her head. "I doubt that she wants to play with them."
"-Gwok, Gwok- She can hurl as many black mages as she wants at us. My fleet of airships would make mincemeat of her. Lindblum is in no danger. However..." began Cid apprehensively, "I want you to meet me at Dock No. 1." The two departed and reconvened at the main airship dock of the Lindblum workshop, where they met together at the command center. "I was developing a new engine that doesn't require Mist to create a new airship, but..." he sighed, "six months ago-"
"-You got handsy, didn't you?" Dagger said flatly.
"Ugh... So you figured it out... Yes, I had a tryst with a woman at the bar. When Hilda found out about it, not only did she change me into an Oglop but she stole the Hilda Garde I as well," Cid said sadly. "It isn't like I'm particularly proud of it..."
"You deserved what you got!" scolded Dagger.
"And I agree," said Cid quickly. "But I'm more worried about my wife than I am about the airship. The Hilda Garde II is in production, but as an Oglop my construction abilities are severely compromised..." he sighed.
"I... apologize for the damage to South Gate. I'm sorry to say that I was the one driving the cargo ship," Dagger said softly.
"Repairs are already underway," Cid said coolly. "When they're done, we'll both go to Alexandria to speak with your mother."
"But... Will it even make a difference...?" murmured Dagger.
"I won't lie, it's a toss-up. Please stay at the Lindblum Grand Castle guest room for now," advised Cid. "The Festival of the Hunt is coming up..."
"And what is that?" asked Dagger.
"Hopefully... delightfully bloody..." mumbled Cid. "We like to see some heroes rise and fall."
Parallel Perspective: A Synthesis Lesson
Zidane spent the night at an Inn in the Business District, one that he'd stayed at once before when he'd had a spat with Baku. When he awoke in the morning he exited his room and found Vivi waiting for him. He talked with the black mage for a while before advising him to explore Lindblum on his own. Once alone Zidane packed up his things and headed into the heart of the Business District, specifically to the Synthesis shop in the northwestern part of the plaza. While he hadn't been there before, the place had come highly recommended.
"Hey, guys!" Zidane shouted out, which caught the attention of Wayne the blacksmith. "Got any ideas on what to do with a boomerang and a dagger?"
After consulting with the blacksmith for about an hour they hammered out plans for a custom dagger that could also serve as a boomerang, essentially a curved dagger designed to be thrown in addition to melee combat. Wayne estimated the price at two thousand Gil and, after payment was made, they parted ways until the deed had been done. Zidane left behind both his right dagger and the boomerang as a reference before heading out into town to do some assorted business. Basically, looking for free money and fast women. Even if he was interested in Dagger, it wouldn't hurt to check out a few different avenues of pleasure...
Parallel Perspective: Small Town Knight in the Big City, Action Figures and Pickles
Unlike Zidane, Steiner spent the night in the castle guest rooms. When he awoke he also headed out into the great streets of Lindblum, a wondrous place for the knight. He'd spent his entire life in Alexandria. Seeing the world from a different perspective was both humbling and mind blowing. As he wandered the streets he encountered two children playing with action figures. While the hippo boy was playing with his own beloved Knights of Pluto, the other boy was fighting with the Amazonian warriors of the Alexandria military.
"The Knights of Pluto are gonna win this time!" tittered the hippo boy.
"No one cares about those stupid things," the other boy shot back.
Upon hearing the insult Steiner angrily stormed into the boys' conversation and loomed high above them, trying to be as menacing as he could muster. "Outrageous! The Knights of Pluto are the most elite unit in all of Alexandria!" he boasted.
"Yeah, yeah!" cheered the hippo.
"What a bunch of crap. General Beatrix is the strongest warrior in the world!" retorted the boy. "There's no way that some funky flunkies could take out her!" he boasted. Steiner quietly bowed his head and sighed.
"Hey, mister! Back me up!" the hippo boy insisted.
Steiner quietly shook his head and patted the boy on the head. "No. Beatrix is the greatest warrior in the world," he said plainly, much more softly than usual. "She is invincible."
"Aww, come on!" moaned the hippo. "I bet the captain could take-"
"If he did," Steiner said quietly, "then it would have to have been a fluke." Leaving behind the stunned children Steiner continued to explore Lindblum until he reached a small stand run by an old woman dressed in red rags. She was selling what looked to be pickles, but even from a distance it was clear that they weren't ordinary pickles; they stunk to high heaven and looked almost sickly. Steiner wordlessly waddled towards the stand and stared longingly at the pickles, almost entranced by their aura.
"That armor looks pretty pathetic..." mumbled Grandma Pickle.
"I wash and polish it every day!" insisted Steiner. "I am sick and tired of people insulting-"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you, sonny. My bad," sighed Grandma Pickle.
"Hmm... What are you selling, madam?" asked Steiner.
"Gysahl Pickles, a Lindblum delicacy. Here, have one on the house!" Grandma Pickle said as she tossed Steiner a pickle. When the knight took a huge chomp out of it he let out a loud shriek and fell straight to his back hacking and coughing. As he lifted himself to his feet Steiner watched as Grandma Pickle threw back her head and laughed. "Not even the fans eat 'em in one bite! You're a strange fellow."
"Ugh! It smelled horrible!" hacked Steiner. He paused and, after further examination took another large bite of the pickle. "But it tastes pretty good... A remarkable piece of produce."
Grandma Pickle cheerfully stuck a bunch of the pickles in a sack and handed it to Steiner, who took it eagerly. "This is one the house. Enjoy, sonny!" she tittered. After Steiner left she quietly grabbed a pickle and took a chomp out of it. "No one ever buys my pickles... I want to see you again some day."
Parallel Perspective: Kupo! Kupo! Kupo Nut!
During his wanderings Vivi entered Alice's medicine shop in the Business District. It had a remarkable selection of goods, ranging from food to medicines, as well as knick-knacks and toys. Vivi eagerly perused the shelves and looked through every single item, though he knew that he had next to no money to actually buy anything. As he examined the shelves his attention fell to a small, fragrant nut encased in a wicker basket and determined his purchase. As he approached the counter, Alice took in a deep breath and smiled.
"Oh, so you're a moogle lover?" Alice tittered as Vivi laid the nut on the counter.
"Um... Huh?" stammered Vivi.
"That's a Kupo Nut, the favorite food of the moogles. It's actually the last one and you're so gosh darned cute that it's on the house!" Alice said happily. Vivi smiled and snatched up the nut, stuffed it in his pocket, and turned to leave. As he departed, however, Vivi caught sight of an advertisement for the Festival of the Hunt and turned back to Alice for illumination. "Oh? The Festival of the Hunt is a yearly celebration where they release a bunch of animals into the street..."
"Really?! I gotta go!" cheered Vivi.
As Vivi left the store, however, Alice shook her head and cursed her own wordplay. "What's so fun about fighting monsters?!" she gasped. "That kid better stay away or they'll have his head."
Parallel Perspective: The Wondrous Steam Engine and the Ignorant Knight
"Um... Excuse me, Sir! Can you tell me where I've ended up?" Steiner asked of an old man, having wandered into the Industrial District's airship docks. Although he looked up and saw airships the clueless knight failed to grasp where he'd gone. "Why are there airships here?"
"You addled in the brain, boy?" the old man mumbled. "This is Dock One of the airship fleet's headquarters. These are all Viltgances, the main military plane of the Lindblum air force," he explained. "And up there-" said the old man as he pointed towards the highest tower, "is the Hilda Garde II, the newest creation of Regent Cid. It runs on steam power so it can fly without Mist."
"Without Mist?! Preposterous!" Steiner balked. "There is no such thing!"
"Have you been under a rock or something? This is the age of steam power. Anything is possible now, even the exploration of other continents," said the old man.
"Other... continents?" asked Steiner quizzically, tilting his head. "What other continents could there be?"
The old man scowled and smacked Steiner over the head. "Dunce. There are four continents in the world of Gaia: the Mist Continent, the Forgotten Continent, the Outer Continent, and the Lost Continent," he explained. "We live on the Mist Continent. None of the others have ever been explored."
"Really?! Fascinating!" Steiner gasped. He put a finger to his mouth and hummed a bit to clear his thoughts. "I wonder if I'll ever investigate those places... The world is so much bigger than I'd ever imagined..."
Parallel Perspective: Learning Tetra Master from Card Freak Gon
After leaving Alice's store Vivi wandered around and went through several buildings, most of which were normal residences. One of them, however, was a two-story house with a staircase that led up to a large bedroom decorated with exotic images of monsters and weaponry. Its inhabitant was Card Freak Gon, one of the most celebrated and dedicated Tetra Master players in all of Lindblum. He'd collected dozens of rare cards and even competed in Treno, although he didn't win the tournament. When Vivi arrived and noticed a deck of cards on the table he grinned and withdrew the small deck that Alleyway Jack had given him, and Gon set up the board before drawing his first hand.
Gon went first and played a card on the center of the grid, of a hunchbacked turtle-human hybrid wielding a spear. Vivi, deciding that it was a powerful one, laid down Boko and took it by using a space that didn't have an arrow. That way, there was no battle and the victory was automatic. Gon replied by playing a card depicting a large pink dragon named an Ironite, which attacked on the arrows. A chocobo and an Ironite popped out of the cards and, when the Ironite slashed the chocobo in the chest, all three cards turned red.
"Oh, no!" Vivi gasped. He looked through his hand and quietly chose the strongest card he had. Namingway materialized and smacked the Ironite, causing all of the cards to turn blue again. Without missing a beat Gon clapped down a card, which opened to reveal a monstrous blue insect named a Gargant that simply opened its jaws and devoured Namingway, turning all the cards red and winning the game for Gon. "Aww, man! Now I have to give away Namingway!" lamented Vivi.
"Actually, I want Boko," Gon said casually. "I never saw one before."
"Huh? But isn't Namingway more powerful and rare?" asked Vivi. Gon rustled around in a nearby drawer and withdrew a stack of cards, including three Namingways. "You mean you have a full set?! Whoa!" he gasped, breathless. With a sigh he handed over his Boko card and turned to leave, but Gon grabbed onto his sleeve and tugged him back. "Um... What's wrong?"
"You know what? I like you, kid. I'll teach you the game inside and out," Gon said with a toothy grin. He again looked through his drawer and withdrew a fairly large stack of cards, then laid them on the ground and slid them towards Vivi. "Here's a starter deck. Let's play a lot, okay?"
Vivi smirked and examined the cards, and as the grid formed again he reached towards a new card and clapped it on the board. "I'm gonna win Boko back!" he insisted.
Parallel Perspective: At the Nook
The Tantalus hideout, known as the Nook, was located in the Theater District near the largest theater in the city. When Zidane entered he expected that he'd find it abandoned, and unfortunately he did. Although he sighed in resignation when he spied the various treasure chests scattered around the room he wasn't able to contain himself and "appropriated" them for traveling money. He quietly laid against the wall and, when the gears of the clock turned to sound noon, Zidane's thoughts turned to Dagger. He'd struck out in the rest of the city, having found neither a girl or a single coin of Gil.
As Zidane ruminated two children entered and threw themselves on top of him. After a bit of struggling he pushed them away and found them to be Bunce and Lucella, two local kids who had an infatuation with the troupe. Zidane quietly shrugged off his annoyance and lifted himself to his seat, then stretched out his knuckles. Both children happily bumped them, and the three began to engage in conversation.
"Can we be in Tantalus now?! Uncle Baku said I could if I found treasure! And I found these!" tittered Bunce, who handed Zidane a small set of feathered wings. "Trick Sparrow's wings! Am I in Tantalus now?!"
Zidane couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's childish eagerness. "Sure. I'm sure you'll make the cut!" he said smilingly.
"How did the plan go? Did you get the princess?" wondered Lucella. When Zidane averted his eyes she gruffly reached out and smacked him on the head. "I asked you a question!" she insisted.
"Y-Yeah... She's at the castle, but... everyone else got in trouble and won't be back for a while..." Zidane mumbled. He didn't want to tell them that they might well be sculptures by now.
"What is she like?" asked Lucella. "The princess?"
"Her? Ha! She's a firebrand and a cutie to boot!" Zidane swooned. "For a noble she's awfully laid back."
"Do you wanna see her? Does she miss you?" pressed Bunce.
"That's... umm..." mumbled Zidane. He didn't know the answer himself.
"Wow! You're cool! We're gonna go now, so go say hi to the princess for us!" Lucella said cheerfully, shortly thereafter departing from the Nook with Bunce. Zidane tried to gather his thoughts and, upon careful consideration, a wide smile crossed his face.
I still have a few hours before the Synthesis Shop finishes... You know what? I will go see her.
Parallel Perspective: A Princess's Lament
The Lindblum Grand Castle's guest room, situated near the lift to the main lobby, was a comfortable place well stocked with amenities as well as its own moogle. Although it was a comfortable prison, to Dagger it was still a prison as she paced around the middle tier and ruminated on everything that had happened.
She must have a reason to act like she is... but is it a good one...?
She suddenly heard the ringing of the great bell in the center of the Theater District, the same one located on the front of Tantalus' Nook. That signaled the end of a performance, and Dagger couldn't help but wonder what kind it was. Dagger finally gathered up her courage and hurried down the stairs, but was met by an armed Rook, who had his weapon raised to his shoulder in preparation to protect her.
"Can I do anything for you, Your Highness?" asked the Rook.
"I... just want to walk around outside..." Dagger mumbled.
"I'm afraid that I can't accommodate that request, Princess. With the Festival of the Hunt hundreds of rather unsavory characters are roaming the streets, and there's no way for us to guarantee your safety," the Rook explained.
"Oh... Is that so? Fine..." Dagger huffed. Reluctantly she returned to her bed and plopped down on it, though the more her mind wandered the more she wanted to get away from everything. "I came here to help my mother... Not be shackled like a canary in a cage..." she snarled in disgust. "I'll find a way... I made it this far," she reasoned, "and I don't intend to be treated like a porcelain doll on a shelf by these people any longer..."
Parallel Perspective: The Fate of the Tantalus Theater Troupe
As luck would have it, the Tantalus band had managed to escape Evil Forest just before it was petrified by following a river that Blank had pointed out on Baku's map. They traveled for quite some time until they reached Bohden Arch, a small and out of the way gate that had been closed for quite some time. While Baku strode into the complex and Marcus followed close behind, Cinna dashed towards a small spring and took a sip.
"We're so lucky..." Cinna mumbled.
"Lucky 'cause of Bro. If he hadn't shown us that mark on the map, we'd all be dead..." sighed Marcus.
"Bring water to the rest of the crew," ordered Baku. He turned his attention to Cinna, who was still fiddling around near the spring. "And what are you doing?"
"Making coffee! I brought beans for Moccha Coffee, and this water is just perfect for it!" chuckled Cinna. When Baku smacked him over the back of the head, however, he fumbled the beans. "Hey! What gives?!"
"Do I honestly need to say it? I told you to go give them water. Stop fiddling around with coffee and do it," Baku snarled. Cinna awkwardly saluted and hurried off to retrieve the musicians, leaving Baku and Marcus. The leader of Tantalus quietly took a sip of the spring water and sighed. "It's best that we leave Evil Forest the way it is..." he muttered.
"But Bro-" Marcus gasped.
"-Wouldn't want those monsters to pop back again. You know that," said Baku.
Marcus knew that his boss was right, but he still put a hand to his face and muttered a dirty word. Blank was his brother, not by blood but in every way that counted, and leaving him to rot inside a petrified forest was an unbearable thought. "We'll find a way..." mumbled Marcus. "We have to..."
Baku wordlessly plopped down and leaned against the spring, wiped the sweat from his brow, and turned his attention back to another problem. "You have your problem and we have ours, son..." he whispered. "When we meet again I'll pummel the living daylights out of you."
Parallel Perspective: Where Is She?!
Having sneaked by the guards Zidane entered the Lindblum Grand Castle guest room in search of Dagger. Instead he found a frantic Steiner, who was running back and forth in a panic and searching every crack and crevice in the room. It was quite amusing so after watching him struggle for a few minutes Zidane sneaked up behind Steiner and playfully smacked him on the back of the head.
"GIVE HER BACK!" Steiner roared, turning to face Zidane with a hand on his sword.
"Pardon?" mumbled Zidane. "I just got here, doofus."
Steiner angrily shoved Zidane away and began to pout. "She isn't here... the princess..." he moaned. "We have to find her..."
"Did she just go for a walk?" Zidane wondered. When Steiner grabbed his shoulders again Zidane simply kneed him in the crotch and dropped him. "Hands off, Rusty. Why are you getting so uppity?"
"This is not a joke! She might be in mortal danger! I'm coming, Princess!" screeched Steiner.
As Steiner bolted out of the guest room Zidane quietly flipped him off and began his own search. When he found a moogle he started up the stairs to consult with it, but was shocked when it recoiled and held up its hands. "And you're getting upset why? We just met," groaned Zidane.
"I know that you're a thief, kupo! Please don't steal me, kupo!" pleaded Mogki.
"Relax. I don't pinch moogles. All I want is to talk to the girl who was in here a while back," Zidane said plainly.
"Her? She kneed the guard in the gut and ran out, said she was going to get some air up top, kupo," explained Mogki. "She's a violent one, kupo."
"In that case," Zidane said slyly, "then I have business on the roof." After exiting the guest room and turning right, Zidane's ears were lovingly assaulted by the most beautiful singing that he'd ever heard. He'd heard it before in Dali. Now, he only needed to get up to the roof. Zidane hurried towards the lift only to be blocked by a Bishop soldier. "I want up!" Zidane said cheerfully.
"Nope," said the Bishop. He took his hooked hammer and smacked Zidane in the head with it. "Authorized personnel only. No exceptions."
"But I know the princess!" insisted Zidane. The Bishop whacked him again. "And stop doing that!" he roared.
"No exceptions," repeated the Bishop. "Get lost."
Zidane angrily shoved the Bishop back and stormed away from the lift. He had to get in somehow, but how? As he stormed back towards the guest room muttering curses and death threats, he spied a Rook down below that was sound asleep. A plan quickly formed as Zidane's face twisted into perhaps the most sinister expression that he'd ever made in his life. Now he had his opening. He'd just have to mug the poor sap, tie him up, take his armor, and lie his way up. Not the nicest thing he'd ever done, no, but these were extenuating circumstances.
Scene Three
The plan went off without a hitch. It didn't take much effort to goad the Rook into the guest room, where Zidane knocked him senseless and cobbled his armor atop his own attire. Once he was suitably dressed he rushed to the lift and carefully lied his way onto it. As the lift went upward Zidane discarded the Rook's armor and, when he reached the top floor, cautiously sneaked past the guards protecting the throne room and headed straight for the roof.
Up top there was another Bishop, though when Zidane prepared for a fight he realized that the soldier had fallen asleep standing up. With a smirk on his face he dashed up two staircases in search of the angelic song, and when he reached the top and slid to a stop he watched as Dagger serenaded a group of white doves. They quickly reacted to his presence and flew away, leaving he and Dagger alone to talk.
"You scared off all the birds. You big bully," Dagger said slyly.
"I've been looking for you, you know..." sighed Zidane.
"But how did you get up here?" asked Dagger. She suddenly groaned and held her face in her hand to stifle her disgust. "Don't answer that. I'm guessing it's better that you don't tell me... so I can't testify at your trial, right?" she said cheekily.
"Ha ha... You'd do it and you know it," Zidane grinned.
Dagger took in a deep breath, inhaling the bright, fresh oxygen that only a palace in the sky could provide. "The air is so fresh..." she sighed woozily. "It's completely different from down below with the Mist."
"Wanna look at the telescope?" wondered Zidane. A soft smile was his answer. The pair shuffled out onto the balcony, where a telescope stood. Zidane was the first to go. He carefully scanned the entirety of the Lindblum kingdom, noting several important places. The Aerbs Mountains led to both Alexandria and Burmecia, while the Ceebell River was a direct line to South Gate. As he stared at the ruined gate, however, Zidane sighed and shook his head. They'd caused some nasty damage to South Gate and it was impossible not to feel guilty about it. He also spotted a strange marshland, and a small forest with a chocobo wandering around outside it.
"It's all so beautiful... Let me see," insisted Dagger, who took up position at the telescope. As she gazed at the beautiful land beneath her Dagger's thoughts began to wander. "Everyone is so obsessed with protecting me... I'm always a step behind them all... I feel so powerless..." she murmured. "I'm like a canary in a cage, just like in the play, a tool for men to fight over... it's disgusting..." she muttered.
I've decided. I'm through letting people decide my life for me. It's time for me to spread my wings, even if it means I have to push a few people aside...
"What's... wrong with you?" mumbled Zidane. "You've been saying crap under your breath..."
"How did you plan to kidnap me, Zidane? From the play?" asked Dagger softly.
"Huh? I was going to use some sleeping weed to knock you out... Why?" muttered Zidane.
"Can I have some? I've been having trouble sleeping and I need a bit of a push..." sighed Dagger.
Reluctantly, Zidane snatched up some sleeping weed from his belt and handed it to Dagger, who took it and stuffed it inside her jumpsuit. "I'm against this, but... fine. Be sure you don't overdose or you'll go bye-bye for a half hour..." he warned.
When Dagger took it, however, she couldn't help but smile. "Oh, I'm not worried," she said slyly.
"What? You... No, you wouldn't..." mumbled Zidane. "Did you sing that song at the village, too?"
"Mmm-hmm. I don't know where I learned it, though. But when I sing it, it soothes my soul and reminds me that I'm not alone..." murmured Dagger. "Do you want me to sing it again?" Zidane cheerfully nodded and Dagger returned to singing her song, the beautiful melody that stitched together her memories and harmonized her weary spirit. As she sang she quietly and subtly inched closer to Zidane, almost unconsciously, and he did the same for her.
"Wanna take that airship ride soon?" Zidane asked cheerfully. Seeing Dagger's quizzical face he quickly realized that he hadn't offered the ride to her. His horror and fear reflected in his face as he backed away with his hands raised to defend himself, desperate not to agitate the princess. "That's... I mean-"
"Oh, so you want to take a ride with someone? Fine. I'm done singing," Dagger said haughtily, turning her nose up and turning away from the edge of the rail. "Go ahead and waltz around with whatever bimbo you want. It's not my business anymore." When she turned to leave and Zidane grabbed hold of her sleeve she angrily tugged it away and moved further from the edge. "You really want to touch me after this? Seriously?"
"Let's make a deal: I win the Festival of the Hunt, we go on a date together," proposed Zidane. Dagger's eyes widened and a scowl crossed her face, but she gruffly nodded her head and started down the stairs. As Zidane followed her, however, his mind began to wander. "She wouldn't use that on me... she wouldn't..." he mumbled.
Scene Four
With the Festival of the Hunt approaching, the party met with Freya and a Rook in the guest room to prepare for the festivities. Freya was befuddled and asked Zidane point blank why he was smiling so goofily, but when she put the pieces together she scowled and smacked him over the head.
"And what was that for?!" hissed Zidane.
"You bet your victory on a date again. The princess, right? Wash your neck and prepare for the axe, you ass," growled Freya. "If you live too dangerously you'll end up rigged on the gallows."
"I've escaped my fair share of executions..." Zidane muttered cheekily, a crooked smile on his face.
"You stupid... Fine, whatever. I don't care anymore..." Freya mumbled.
Atop the stairs Steiner attempted to reason with Dagger. "Princess, why don't we watch the Festival of the Hunt together?" he asked quietly. "It might calm your nerves."
"Works for me," sighed Dagger. "My fate rests on the outcome, after all."
"Y-You... You didn't bet with that monkey, did you?" choked Steiner. When he saw the reluctance on her face his own dropped and he turned towards Zidane and whacked him over the head. "You cretin! Don't make me carry out a summary execution!" he roared. "I will if I need to!"
"That's enough, Steiner..." Dagger said forcefully.
"Y-Yes... Forgive me..." Steiner stammered. "But if I may-"
"You may not," Dagger said curtly. Steiner hung his head in shame but reluctantly backed away from the situation.
The Rook tapped his hammer to the floor to catch everyone's attention. "The is the Festival of the Hunt, a battle between valiant warriors and vicious beasts. Whoever gets the most points within the twelve minute time span will be given the title of Master Hunter, as well as a treasure of their choosing," explained the Rook. "Basically, it's a free-for-all, and we aren't liable for any injuries or deaths that occur. That's on you."
"T-That's horrible!" gasped Vivi. "But at least I don't have to worry about it..."
"Name your prize," stated the Rook.
"Gil. Lots of it," Zidane said plainly.
"I have my eye on a fine Coral Ring," said Freya.
"And you, Master Vivi?" asked the Rook. "What do you select as your prize?"
"Wait, what?! I never signed up!" Vivi croaked.
"Oh, right... I signed you up," said Zidane with a chuckle. "I knew you'd kill it out there."
"How could you be so inconsiderate?!" Steiner roared.
"Do you want to back out of the deal now?!" snarled Dagger. When she saw Steiner's horror she sighed and waved him off. "Never mind. Pretend I didn't say anything..." she muttered. Steiner, although he was horrified, reluctantly backed off and tightened his grip hard enough to make the steel creak. Now he knew that she'd made a bet with that monkey, but also knew that trying to argue against it was pointless. She was just so spirited and free that any attempt he made would surely end in failure. Besides, he could gut the thief later when no one was looking.
"Then I want a rare Card," determined Vivi.
"A rare... Card? Fine, we have a number to select from. Master Freya begins in the Industrial District, Master Vivi starts in the Business District, and Master Zidane is signed up to fight in the Theater District," the Rook explained. "We begin in an hour."
As Dagger and the others turned to leave the room Vivi tugged on Zidane's sleeve and produced a deck of cards. Zidane smirked and prepared the grid, and began by laying down a card that revealed a Goblin wielding an exotic dagger, a Zorlin Shape.
"Are you sure that's a Goblin?" wondered Vivi.
"It counts as its own card," Zidane replied. "Your move."
Vivi shrugged and took a card, setting it down on the grid. A monstrous blue beetle appeared from the card and crushed the Zorlin to death, causing the Zorlin to shift to red. Although Zidane was surprised that Vivi had such a powerful offense he reasoned that Vivi had been practicing, so he laid down Lindblum in a corner as a defensive card. It was set adjacent to the other cards that had been played, with its arrows pointing towards the Blazer Beetle. Vivi played a Cactuar card and attacked Zidane, only for the monster to immediately turn blue and change all the other cards blue as well. When Zidane played his Viltgance card it didn't make any difference, as he'd still won the game.
"Aww, man..." groaned Vivi. He handed Zidane his Namingway card, and Zidane quickly took Namingway and shuffled it into his deck.
"Are you ready, Vivi?" Zidane asked softly. "It's almost time."
"Y-Yeah..." mumbled Vivi. "I'm gonna make you proud."
Parallel Perspective: The Trial of the Black Mage
Vivi exited the air cab and ended up in the Business District. He was quickly assailed by three Trick Sparrows. A Trick Sparrow is an avian beast the size of a normal human's torso, with a wingspan slightly longer than the length of a normal man extending its arms. Vivi reflexively blasted them to bits with a fire spell, and as they turned to Mist he turned to find another monster running at him. It was a large beast, human in size but resembling some sort of cross between a fox and a wolf.
With the Fang approaching Vivi quickly made a resolution to himself to improve, and blasted the Fang with a small blue orb. The sphere quickly encased the monster inside a large column of ice, and Vivi swiftly shattered it with a lightning bolt. With four monsters down he quickly and proudly dashed further into the Business District, prepared to fight more and more. He would become stronger! For his friends!
Parallel Perspective: The Trial of the Dragoon
Almost before leaving the air cab Freya brandished her spear and swung it, the hardened steel cutting down three Fangs at once and saving two imperiled engineers. She wasted no time in zipping through the streets cutting down monster after monster until she reached the restaurant she'd met Zidane in. Freya paused before leaping high into the air, then held her spear downwards and skewered a Fang that was attacking the barmaid.
Barely pausing, Freya quickly vaulted high into the air and landed on a nearby house's roof. With all the grace of a true Dragoon she bounced from roof to roof until she finally reached the Business District. She quickly turned to find Vivi running terrified from an unknown assailant, and when she turned around she found it. Whatever it was, it looked angry. The creature appeared to be shaped like a large orange boar, with two horns on its head and two long protrusions serving as tusks. Although it was an intimidating foe, Freya swiftly lifted her weapon and prepared for battle.
Parallel Perspective: The Trial of the Thief
Once he'd reached the Theater District Zidane exited the air cab and his fingers went to his belt. While his left hand drew the usual dagger his right summoned a new weapon: a curved red dagger with yellow flame highlights, designed and used like a boomerang. He quickly bounded out of the station and slashed through a Fang attacking a citizen, then turned on his heel and tossed his new dagger at a Trick Sparrow. The boomerang effect decapitated the monster and quickly returned the dagger to Zidane's grip, and once armed he zoomed towards the Tantalus Nook.
As he zipped through the Theater District, Zidane used both his daggers to cut down monster after monster with the resolve to win his bet with Dagger. Fangs, Mus, and Trick Sparrows all fell to his blades, though when he reached the Nook and heard a scream from inside he quickly diverted his attention there. He found Bunce and Lucella in there, cornered by a Trick Sparrow, so he slung his new right knife at it and killed it with a single blow. When he caught it Zidane quickly gave the two a quick salute before hurrying out of the Nook.
After raiding the Theater District and stealing dozens of points Zidane used the air cab to reach the Business District. When he arrived he found that most of the monsters had already been dispatched but when he heard a familiar voice shout out he quickly moved into the heart of the Business District, where he found Freya engaging in a fierce melee with the Zaghnol that had chased away Vivi.
Freya fought with incredible skill, but despite her best efforts she was unable to penetrate the Zaghnol's tough skin. Zidane took in a deep breath, and when he exhaled his body became encased in light and shattered to reveal Trance. As Freya struggled to battle the Zaghnol, Zidane vaulted high into the air. With Freya unable to do any lasting damage Zidane took his opportunity and as he fell he dug both daggers into the Zaghnol's back. He pulsed all the Trance energy he had in him, channeling the willpower through his weapons and finally reducing the Zaghnol to Mist.
With a sharp breath Zidane exited Trance, and was promptly whacked over the head by Freya's spear. She glared him down with contempt in her eyes, though when Zidane gave her a cheeky grin she relented. Zidane sheathed his daggers and stretched out his knuckles to Freya, who smilingly folded her own and bumped fists with him. Then she whacked him again.
"Dirty-ass monkey!" she snapped. "You stole my thunder!"
"Hey, all's fair in love and war, right?" Zidane shot back. "And this is love and war..." he swooned.
Scene Five
With the Festival of the Hunt complete, everyone met with Cid and Artania inside the Lindblum Grand Castle throne room. Artania smilingly pinned a blue ribbon to Zidane's breast, leaving the thief to flash a cheeky grin to Dagger. The princess sighed, but relented and gave him a high-five as Steiner fumed, Vivi nursed the injuries he'd taken from the Zaghnol, and Freya looked on in contempt, as she still felt like she deserved the victory.
The attendees suddenly heard a weak sound, the feeble moan of a dying man, and turned to find a Burmecian soldier clawing his way into the throne room, beaten, bloodied, and badly burned. With a loud gasp he dropped to the ground and Dagger hurried to his side. She desperately attempted to use white magic, but when she found that it was too late she instead bit her lip and laid his head in her lap. She quietly stroked the dying soldier's face, attempting to console him, but failed to do so for both the soldier and herself.
"R-Regent..." whimpered the soldier.
Cid immediately jumped from his throne and moved to the soldier's side. When Artania moved to stop him the Regent sadly shook his head. "Look at his eyes... They're dead... as is the fellow himself..." he said sadly. He quietly turned to the dying soldier, and as he choked back his tears he could ask only one question: "Who did this to you...?"
"Alexandria... dolls..." the soldier moaned. Finally the soldier expired, leaving Dagger the task of shutting his eyes for the final time. A shaken Vivi fell to his seat and Zidane quickly moved to his aid. Recognizing the soldier's valiant sacrifice Steiner silently bowed his head, then watched as Dagger broke away from the soldier and fell into Zidane's arms, sobbing. He quickly moved to her side and, startlingly, even Zidane embraced him back.
"Sire... We don't have the manpower for a counterattack..." Artania said sadly.
"Damn... Call back the Fourth Airborne Brigade..." sighed Cid.
"But, Sir! If we do that, we'll lose our eyes on the Alexandrians! And since they seem to be the aggressor, the whole concept is downright insane!" insisted Artania.
"Even if it is foolish, we're allied with Burmecia... We have to act, no matter the cost..." Cid resolved.
"Mother's gone mad..." whispered Dagger. When Steiner moved to console her she rebuffed him by slapping his hand away. "If you can't see the truth..." she said contemptuously, "then you really are as incompetent as Zidane's been saying."
Steiner sighed and shook his head. It was inconceivable. "A sliver of doubt, perhaps... but I still trust Queen Brahne. She surely has the kingdom's best intentions in mind..." he muttered. He had to trust her. He had to. Freya wordlessly drew her spear and turned to leave, and Steiner reached out to her. "Freya... You-"
"I'm going to hunt down the dolls that are slaughtering my people!" hissed Freya. She quickly realized what she'd said and knelt down to embrace Vivi. "Not you... and you know it..." she murmured. This seemed to satisfy Vivi, who quietly adjusted his hat and stepped back. When Freya turned to leave and felt a tug on her sleeve, she quickly realized who had done it. "Zidane, this isn't your fight!"
"Friends help friends, and that's that," Zidane resolved. "If you don't let me tag along, I'll just follow you."
"Um... Can I come too?" Vivi asked timidly. Though Zidane moved to rebuff him when he saw the resolve on the black mage's face he quietly backed down and patted him on the head. "I wanna find out the truth..." he murmured.
"And I'm coming with you!" resolved Dagger.
Steiner shook his head in shock and, for the first time, took Dagger by the shoulders and shook her violently. "You'll cause an international incident!" he insisted.
"You're staying here," Zidane said softly. A livid Dagger grabbed hold of Zidane's collar and shook him back and forth, but when he silently shook her head at her she reluctantly backed down and scowled. "I won't put you in danger, Dagger," he resolved. "Never." Dagger bit her lip and moved to slap Zidane on the cheek, but he caught her hand and laid it in both of his, bowing his head to the princess. "Please..." he begged.
"In that case..." began Dagger. She quietly hesitated and shook her head. "In that case... What happens, happens," she said softly. "I won't go with you to Burmecia." As Zidane backed down and turned back to comfort Freya, Dagger quietly formulated her plan and decided to enact it. "I'll go myself..." she whispered under her breath.
Scene Six
Before anyone could leave for Burmecia the Dragon's Gate needed to be opened. Since that would take time, everyone gathered together at the castle's banquet hall to have a feast. The feast was customarily eaten with one's hands, so the spread was far from delicate or elegant. As Zidane and the others tore into their meat and liquor, Dagger quietly stood back from the action and only drank water. While the banquet wore on Vivi suddenly fell flat on his face onto a plate of steak, followed by Cid and Freya.
"It's poisoned?! I'm so sorry princess!" Steiner wailed.
"Yours isn't poisoned, dummy," said Dagger flatly. "All I added was some extra salt."
Zidane finally realized what had happened and began to stagger backwards, desperately attempting to stave off the sleeping weed's effects. He groaned and turned towards Dagger, bit his lip, and angrily muttered a curse. "You did it... You actually did it!" he croaked.
"Yes, and I did it because you keep treating me like a child. I'll take care of my affairs in my own way," Dagger said coldly, just as Zidane finally succumbed and fell flat on his face. She turned to an increasingly frantic Steiner and smirked. "We'll go to Alexandria alone," she resolved. "I'm sure you want to come with me, right?"
Steiner shook his head and stepped back in horror. "I... cannot abide by that order, Your Highness. I refuse to let you see war as I have... It is horrible and vile, and exposing you to death is something I cannot and will not do..." he said resolutely.
"Don't you want to see the truth? The truth about Mother and Alexandria? You can come with me or I'll go by myself. Those are your two choices," Dagger said coolly, as if things were matter-of-fact. "You'll protect me, right? I believe in you, whatever Zidane thinks... You've always protected me. So, please: Protect me now," she begged.
"I-I... If you won't listen to reason then it is my duty as a knight to protect you," resolved Steiner, laying one knee and bowing his head to the floor. "But know this: the queen isn't at fault. Everything is a misunderstanding."
"I... hope you're right, Steiner... Whatever has happened, I love my mother and believe in her. The woman who lovingly raised me isn't a terrorist, I know that. I just need to hear it from her..." Dagger murmured. While Steiner left first Dagger quietly turned to meet him but was shocked when she felt a soft tug on her leg and found a barely conscious Zidane, his eyes desperate, grabbing hold of her ankle. She sighed and knelt down, brushed the sweat from his brow, and removed his hand before leaving him to sleep again.
Author's Notes
Got a couple things to talk about... Let's start with Dagger. I hope I'm not going terribly, horribly astray by depicting her the way I am. However, I wanted to show that she isn't just a timid bystander in the acts that follow - she's smart enough to put the pieces together, even if she still doesn't want to admit it. Also, she's pretty damned sassy... so I apologize if I upset anyone with my depiction. I've said before that I like depicting strong women, and if Dagger can put together a plot to smuggle herself out of the castle I'd say she's got it together enough to do more than sit by and have her feelings muddled like in the game. Controversial? Yes. Will it change? No. This is my novelization, and I intend to make a quality product in my own way. Copying the script and just describing the action isn't what I'm here to do, but instead to create my own story from the game.
Also, Tetra Master. This stupid thing is showing up a lot more often that I expected it would. But since they have that damned tournament in Disc Three I need to justify it somehow. I'm not sure how things will advance from here on out... maybe there won't be any games until the tournament, I'm simply not sure yet. But world building is something I love to do, and setting up Zidane's deck is just one of those small details that I thrive on.
As of 4/18/24, I've finished the game and I'm working on the Outer Continent. The updates should be every fifteen to eighteen days or so, and I have up to Chapter 8 finished. I'm actually making better time than I thought I would, so hopefully I can keep up the pace. The Andromeda War continues of course, Final Fantasy V will be posted on the first along with a chapter of said war, and I have a few ideas for FFVI and FFVIII, which will probably be next up on my docket.
