Filling In The Blanks
A/N: Wow... I sure haven't written THIS story in a while. I have a new obsession. Wonderful Final Fantasy 12 ahahahahah!!!!
Disclaimer: I down own it, though I wish I did. Blank. Yum.
Quick Random Thought: I just saw Harry Potter - first day out at 12:02 A.M IT WAS AWESOME!!
Chapter 15: Shocking Discovery
There were a lot of different things Zidane was sure of in his life.
There were things like his strong bond with his best friends... That he was absolutely sure was true. Their hold together, and the fact that he and Blank, for example, would do anything for each other was an absolute one hundred percent, and there was no way around that. It might take everything to get it done, but they were sure in the end, they would show through whatever roadblock was put in front of him. Them being reunited after a catastrophe that happened five years ago was sure proof of that assumption.
The second was that he was completely at a lost at what was going on, still even after the months he had spent with the rebellion, but that he would fight with them no matter what happened. It was obvious that everyone wanted things back to normal, as he had snuck into Treno once again with the Tantalus (even including Blank) crew to get some supplies not so long ago, and seen the people and how they acted when they knew they were resistance members. There was a certain something in the air that seemed to leak into the blonde's skin that said they must do whatever they could in order to help these people, and themselves. It was only right for how long everyone had been working at it. It was only right they that do everything in their power to help.
Another being the people he was thrown with were the people he was sure he would stay with, even if his friends turned out to be real. Despite the glares from Steiner, and the professional nature from Beatrix, the vibe from other members that they thought he was an idiot, and the bothering and irritating habits people did that really pissed him off, he was completely okay with them. He loved to mess around with his old friends, and couldn't stand not seeing Dagger for a day. It killed him when Vivi was upset over something he didn't want to ask about, and angered him to the highest extent when they were distressed about the situation. He could only guess - not having been part of the struggle for as long as them - being five years behind.
But as he ran across the field, slipping and sliding on the wet and squeaky grass, he knew there was something that he was about to attempt that was very unnerving, and he didn't know if he was sure of it or not. On one hand, it seemed as though it would be the smartest thing he had ever tried, and for that he was extremely grateful. That spark of confidence was what he needed to not turn around and run back to the safety to the house underground - to Dali... To Dagger, and Vivi, and Quina - everyone...
On the other hand, he was so unsure, he kept glancing backwards, biting his lip, thinking it over in his mind, almost stopping Blank and telling him that they should go back. This could very much so get them killed. It could even do worse - it could kill Blank and not kill Zidane. They could be tortured for information, and although they wouldn't tell anyone where anything was, or who they knew of that was in the rebellion, or anything it was the fact that he would be alive, and not with the people he cared so much about. It was the fact that he would inevitably fail them, but not having the excuse of death to fall back on. It was the fact that nobody would forgive him, because he put his own life in danger, and not to mention he put a valued member's life in danger as well.
It was one thing, he figured, as they stopped at a steep hill, ready to run through the ice cavern in front of them, freezing for less than an hour if they hurried, if he were to do this alone, but it was another thing... If he allowed Blank to come with him. The redhead, again and again since they had left and raced across the field, dodging the rain and lightning chaining and whipping from the air, assured Zidane that they would make it back, so no one would have a reason to be angry with the Genome for taking the redhead with him.
Of course, Zidane, being the over thinker he was, and looking over the obvious facts and oblivious points, didn't buy it...
"We have to hurry in here..." Blank's voice broke through Zidane's reverie, "We're so wet we'll freeze in our place if we don't make a break for it..."
The blonde could only nod, reassuring Blank he wouldn't fail - not this early in the game anyways. As they walked in, the temperature dropped tremendously, and they were still by the door. It was cold outside, but the inside of the cave was like a freezer that hadn't opened in years.
As quickly as they could without slipping completely off the edge, as the bottoms of their shoes touched the snow they had already froze from being wet, they raced down the natural spiral ramp leading further into the cave, trying in vain to stay at a regular temperature. Blank had warned him he had heard stories of this place. Though he had only been through it a few times, and it was a long time ago (they had adopted the boat - much faster, much warmer), he knew to confirm the stories others scoffed at. The worst part about the next section of the cave was there was so much potential of falling asleep. At first, Zidane looked at him like he were crazy, not quite believing his plight, but as they ran on as best they could, the snow molding around their shoes as they stepped, his unconscious mind slowly made him believe it.
They had slowed down - that much was certain - but it was the worry that they would completely stop. It was dangerous - more dangerous than normal with them being wet - to go through the caves when it was so dark and cold outside. It only made it icier inside, but they trudged forward, relying on the other to make them keep going.
With the wind blowing at them, as it seemed to change direction to go against the people walking through it, it was a challenge to keep walking. Blank's knee locked, and as he stumbled, he fell into the snow, suddenly finding a peaceful and warm sanctuary where he was. The back of his mind was screaming at him to get up, knowing he was about to fall asleep, but the warmth was so nice he couldn't think about it enough to follow through.
Zidane turned around, azure eyes widening to see his best friend fallen in the snow. He hadn't known how long he was there, but he checked back every so often - this time more spaced out from the last. He had every intention on keeping him safe, but had more trust in Blank failing after him than he should have. The blonde allowed the wind to help him ride back to his friend, he yanked him out of the snow, and threw him over his shoulder. He was asleep for now, but Zidane would try and find refuge once they got out of the cave - they wouldn't take the same way back. He saw now it was too dangerous to bring two people through that were wet with storm. They would swim the river if they had to...
After what seemed like a long time, and then degrees higher than the last section, he broke into a completely silent place that glittered with crystals and snow iced into the ground. It was a miracle the place had any beauty, going through that wretched place. Wincing, he shifted Blank on his shoulder so he could walk down the icy steps. This was going to be the hardest part of their journey, he ventured, knowing quite well from Blank's explanation on the way they would go that the evil forest wasn't going to be difficult with their advanced skills. It would almost be like simply walking through it - though they would have to be on their toes if they didn't want trouble.
He figured then, as he finally saw the exit to the cave, almost letting out a yelp of delight and victory, he couldn't have done this without the redhead. Of course, he might have found it eventually, or gotten lost and captured; it was a fifty-fifty chance for each of them. Grimacing at the thought, he walked through the doors to see it had stopped raining for the moment. Even though the chill from the outside was still great, it was far less so than before.
Setting the shorter thief on the ground, he shook him a few times to try and get him to wake up. If he didn't, it wasn't a big deal, but it was quite unnerving to Zidane to see his best friend passed out, having to move forward either without him, or him on his back. It would make it slightly difficult in Alexandria.
The name pained him. That place had meant the world to him, not even three months ago, but it slipped further and further to the back of his mind. This idea that his friends could still be suffering and not knowing the truth was a harsh one, eating away at him for as long as he could remember (which wasn't necessarily long, but enough for Zidane), and the blonde needed to know. The place was the harbor of evil, and he was endangering his best friend for as long as all of his memories told him, and yet, he was too selfish to not allow himself to go insane with the idea.
Figuring he probably didn't want to piss Blank off, he threw him over his shoulder again, shifting his weight so it was well on his shoulder, and started to go again, knowing quite well if the redhead woke up, he might be a smidge angry anyways. Shrugging the best he could with one shoulder weighed down, he tried to navigate on his own where to go next. Of course, looking for a forest was one thing, but if he was too far away he most likely wouldn't see it. There was a lot of flat land, a luscious jade, and not to mention long and sleek, grass lay out in front of them.
He couldn't use the eeriness of the sky as he once did, last time he had completely left Alexandria, on his way with the others to Dali, as the clouds spread across the vast sky, making it clearly impossible for a sense of direction by the stars. The night was a dark one, and he stumbled around on the grass, suddenly feeling rather alone. Blank didn't seem like he was going to wake up very soon, and that made him rather uncomfortable - what if he reached Alexandria and the redhead was still not awake.
Shaking his head, he knew he should just pick a direction and stick with it. It was a long time before he saw the outline of trees and a large fallen rock. It was by this description he knew he had reached the forest. Before entering, he carefully laid the redhead down, and placed his back against the rock. Closing his eyes, he crossed his arms over his wet frame, breathing in the scent of the growing nature, though it was tainted with the ominous senses of the forest. He felt as though he were being watched, which made it harder to catch a break and fall asleep. He didn't have a fire to warm either of them, or any blankets or food to try and provide with... A thought suddenly struck him that if Blank didn't wake up, there was a possibility he would be sick and die...
It was an over paranoid thought, but it was also Zidane's over-active imagination, so one couldn't really blame him. Shaking Blank violently, he whispered in the darkness, not feeling keen on having his voice echo throughout the area.
"Blank! Wake up!" A few more shakes and he received a groan from his friend; again he could have leapt with joy.
"What happened?" He groggily asked, his form rolling over, huddling into a tightly knit ball to try and warm up.
"You fell asleep in the cavern..."
"What?" He shot up, his eyes wide, though Zidane couldn't see it; the rest of his expression spoke for them. "I fell asleep? Where are we? How did we get here? Did you too?"
The question bombardment was completely expected, but the Genome still took in a breath to calm himself down, as he was just as nervous as he had been before, if not more from experiencing the dark alone, "We're outside the Evil Forest, I carried you, and no I didn't fall asleep."
A pure expression of shock overtook Blank's face, his mouth hanging slightly open. Zidane, slightly weirded out by his expression, fisted his hand, and lightly pushed his best friend's chin up, shutting his mouth making a slight clink of his teeth in doing so. Though the rest of his expression was still the same (even if the blonde couldn't see his eyes), he shook his head.
"Let's just get going? I mean, you woke up now, so..." He trailed off, looking at the forest with doubt.
Shaking out of his dumbfounded state, he turned and traced Zidane's line of sight, "It won't be that bad... Trust me, and then right on the other side basically is Alexandria. It's going to be simple..." He nodded and got up, walking inside, Zidane following at his heels.
??
"Do you remember where to go?" Blank whispered, his eyes darting around nervously.
Before they had gotten to Alexandria, it all seemed surreal. He almost thought it a game, although dangerous to play, it wasn't as though they could really get caught or hurt. Entering Alexandria, the feeling slightly melted away. It was slow, yes, but at the same time entering the castle and having the feeling of dread surround him was far worse. He would take the tipsy feeling between reality and fantasy versus the thought of his best friend and him dying. It wasn't a wonderful feeling at all to have.
The blonde shot him a look that didn't help to reassure him. He kind of figured from the beginning Zidane was so jumbled when he ran into them that he couldn't possibly remember, but in his heart he had a bit of false hope. That was all washed away with that certain expression. He swallowed a groan threatening to release itself and make more noise than necessary. This could be a rather long, dangerous, and painful mission.
Closing his eyes, he followed the blonde down the hall, sticking to the side of the wall without the light, and flinging the both of them through it as quickly and stealthily as he could when there was no way around it. For the first time in his life, light was making him nervous and giving him more of a dreaded feeling than not.
As their boots lightly tapped on the stone on the floor, a shudder was sent down his spine, illuminating his senses with a numbness he really didn't understand. He had this feeling that this certainly wasn't going to end well - but there was no turning back now. It was now or never, and he knew he couldn't change the blonde's mind, even if he felt the same way.
Ever so slowly, they made their way into dead ends and wrong turns, almost getting themselves caught by black mages and guards all the same a few times as well. But, as they slowly made their way, they heard voices, and that's what lead Zidane to a new door; he prayed it didn't squeak. Blank flinched anyways, hoping he didn't make too big of a motion to see.
Of course it was another wrong turn...
But it wasn't a turn they ducked away from so quickly. As both of them peeked their eyes inside the dimly lit room, they listened in on a few guards talking. Beer kegs were all around them, a few toppled over - seemingly empty. The dark oak cups were filled to the brim, and within a few seconds of time, completely empty again. But it wasn't the drinking guards that they were so interested in... It was their conversation.
"Aye, I dun believe they getta be confushed much longer..."
"I think... The dreamersh aren't very good fightersh... They shouldn't be ushed... They jisht mindlessh dronesh not ta be missed, eh?"
"Anymur beer Shindy?"
"Aye... You want shome?" He stumbled to get up, and shakily swiped his giant cup under the keg, splashing beer everywhere.
"You think anyun'll know?" The guard still sitting in the splintered, old chair shifted and the legs creaked with the weight and pressure.
"Nah. Nah one in thish cashtle drinksh anyway..."
"True... True..." He grinned stupidly, taking the pint and clunking it against his buddy's, and then tipped up the glass. Blank had to pull Zidane away. He wanted the information so much that he couldn't possibly let the guards go back to drinking without an eavesdropper. It was lucky that the redhead figured no more talking would be done about the dreamers.
"Let me go!" He struggled.
"Shut up!" Blank hissed, slamming both of them up against the wall, slipping into a crevice, and yanking Zidane in as well.
A few guards walked by, and shoved open the door into the room they were just recently spying on. Yelling and some clanking of kegs, glasses, and armor rolled together in an eruption of a fight. Blank winced listening to it, "Let's go look somewhere else..."
They both (though Zidane grudgingly) ran off in the other direction, taking a turn they were sure they hadn't taken before, seeing a new door. The redhead glanced at his friend, and he wondered if this perhaps was the room, but couldn't read it from the thief's expression. He bit his lip, as the blonde pushed open the door with quivering hands. His gloves were musty, looking even worse in the oddly bright lighting of the room.
What they saw shocked both of them. Though the leather-clad thief had never seen the room the dreamers were kept in, he knew that this was not right at all. The entire room was completely empty, every bed having no occupant to count.
Zidane stupidly pushed open the door, shock and pain overtaking his sense of intelligence, as he looked around. He was absolutely sure this was the place he had to be in to find Elouise and his other friends, but there was no one there. He wandered down the isles as Blank silently tried to get his attention so he'd come back to the door. He found where he had woken up, his memory sharpened when he saw the room once more. He sat upon it, and looked around, trying to figure out just what had happened.
The sense of dread that overtook him was unbearable, and he closed his eyes, willing to vanish from the world. It wasn't until he felt rough gloves grip his arm, yanking him up that he realized him and Blank had to get out. But it seemed it might be too late. Guards came from both doors, a good five at the end of each room, leaving no escape.
"Hey! What are you doin' here??" Zidane's memory of the guards themselves were fuzzy because of the fact his fear of them melted away over the months of getting stronger, but it almost seemed as though it were the same one who saw him before.
"It's the dreamer!" There always had to be a smart one in the bunch. "It's the escaped dreamer!" he emphasized, trying to get everyone to move, "Get him God dammit!" He roared, as more guards leaked into the room. Blank looked around, his whole body wrought with fear.
"Shit..." He mumbled, fearing for himself and his best friend...
Perhaps all the things he said - the reassurances that they would get home safely to the blonde paralyzed next to him... Perhaps they were wrong.
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A/N: I haven't written this story in about - Two months. Sad, hm? I hope you all thought the chapter was okay anyways and I haven't lost the touch of drama for the story :D Even though this update will come around the same time as the others - I myself have not written in a while. Apologies.
-zesty-
