Filling In The Blanks

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IX or any of its characters.

Chapter 71: Now Here's the Hard Part

"You're sure it's safe?" She raised her eyebrow, peaking in the doorway.

Fratley nodded, assuring her. "Believe me… if you want to move onto the resistance instead of staying out here, this is the only way around…"

"And he knows what he's doing?" She sounded even more skeptical than before.

Fratley sighed, glancing behind the questioning woman. He knew that both groups were leaving for Treno and Bermecia in just under an hour and he was going to be late. "Lysandra, why would we lead you into a trap?"

"It's just…" She bit her lip, unsure how to word it.

"I can't imagine us being gone for too terribly long… If you all stuck together and trained in the marsh –"

"I have no problem doing that for a few more weeks…" She jerked her thumb backwards. "They need all the help they can get – especially the newcomers from Lindblum… It's just, I think my people are getting antsy, and I don't want to make them regret their decision."

"You do not have to go with them if they wish to head through Fossil Roo," he told her, stretching up onto his toes, trying to hide his impatience.

"I don't want to seem like a lousy leader. I don't want us to split up."

"How about this…" He shrugged, "Main–" he gestured back at the rescued moogle from Lindblum who nibbled on some weeds growing by the steps. "- will be staying here, which means he can lead you through if you want him to… How about you and your people take a few days to think about it, and train a little more… If they wish to move on, then let them… You should stay where you are most needed. You all must understand you are part of a bigger, and more powerful society now."

She nodded, gaining some confidence in her hesitant decision to keep all of her troops together. "Make haste…" She gave a half wave before walking past the Bermecian to inspect the entrance to Fossil Roo, despite her latest decision to stay put.

Fratley took off running, not waiting for anymore of a signal. He could just imagine Freya's irritated face, speaking to him what the others thought. They had been in this marsh for nearing two weeks, and it was time for the rest and relaxation to be over… They needed to continue with their mission.

As soon as he broke through the trees, he realized he had been fretting for nothing. The two groups were still intermixed, exchanging last minute advice, and hasty goodbyes. He strode over to Zidane, wishing him luck when he had a break from Eiko's persistence questioning and declarations of love, before retreating to Freya's side.

"Are we all ready to do this?" He muttered to her. Her keen ears picked up on his whisper and nodded.

"As ready as we'll be…" She puckered her lips, looking more irritated than either cared to admit. "I am concerned for Tantalus. We don't need another battered and bruised dreamer like in Terra…"

"At least he came home," he reminded her, his ever-optimistic attitude showing through. She nodded, though said nothing else, so he wondered if she completely agreed with him or not.

"Be careful over there… You never know what that rainy part of the continent will throw at you!" Baku warned to Steiner, who nodded politely at his statement.

"Be careful in Treno…" He let on a rare smirk, "Those ruthless thieves, and the clusters of drunken soldiers…"

"Believe me… Treno is a place of mistakes I'm not willing to make again," Baku shot back. They stared at each other for a moment, silent words of well wishing passing between them, before they gave a nod and split in different directions.

Marcus was boxing the air already, pumped to finally be moving, and Ruby was pestering Blank about something or another. Cinna was explaining to a newbie technician some things about the Prima Vista, just incase something were to happen.

Dagger tried not to stare at Zidane as he said goodbye to a few more people she didn't recognize. She didn't mean to be irritated at their lapsing time, but she was anyways, tapping her foot impatiently and turning this way and that, trying not to look to conspicuous.

"A little anxious, huh?" Zidane suddenly asked her, a chuckle on his breath as he appeared behind her.

She whipped around, her hair hitting her porcelain cheeks as she let on a smile. "I was hoping they would leave you alone eventually…"

He let out a laugh and scratched the back of his neck. "It was Eiko I was really concerned about, but once she spotted Vivi, she wandered off."

"She tried to make it discreet though, I noticed," She added in, just to poke fun at him, but when she saw the seriousness his expression took on, she stopped. "Is everything alright?"

"Dagger…" He narrowed his eyes and parted his lips, looking like he wanted to say a waterfall of things to her. Instead, he just tugged her into his arms and squeezed her tight – a gesture she had no problem returning just as quickly. When they pulled apart, he placed a chaste kiss on her lips, before his shining eyes bore into her dazzling chocolate ones. "Dagger, I love you…"

She smiled at him, never being able to dispel the butterflies from her stomach when those rare words passed through his lips, "I love you too, Zidane."

"And that's why I need you to do something for me…" He mumbled to her.

She tilted her head to the side, feeling the chain of her necklace tickle the back of her neck. "What's that?"

"Forget about me, okay?"

She let out a laugh she was so surprised. It sounded so unsure and confused, and by the time she had fully registered what he had said, he was walking away.

"What do you mean?" She demanded, her voice taking on an angrier tone than she'd intended.

"I need you to move on… be prepared to fall in love with someone else to spend your whole life with… you'll do that for me, won't you?" The expression that crossed her face nearly broke his heart.

Tears filled her eyes at the unexpected statement, and she covered her mouth, muttering out a muffled, "Why?"

"Just forget it…" He answered her softly and simply, before turning just at the last moment, as Tantalus took off through the weeds. He couldn't bare to see her face if he told her he was going to die, no matter how hard she tried, and that he wished she didn't love him, because he couldn't stand to see her loving someone completely doomed.

Every muscle in her body tugged at her to move, and she took a step forward, but no more than that. Her heart was pleading with her to go after him – the rest of her group would wait for her… But her mind had a more powerful influence over her that day, and it told her to stay in place… because it wasn't her job to run after him – not when something as important as their mission was on the line. It wasn't her job at all, not even a little bit.

He disappeared into the boggy atmosphere, and she wasn't sure if she would ever see him again.


The trip through the marsh was loud. Baku advised them to get all of their horsing around out of their system before they made it to the plains. It was still dark – early morning and not quite sunrise… They would get a head start so they could be closer to the mountains midday, when there were no shadows.

Zidane was the only quiet one, replaying Dagger's reaction again and again in his mind.

"You okay?" Blank asked, hanging back from the loud group in front of them to walk with his best friend. Ruby purposely walked ahead of them to give them their privacy, but stayed close enough to eavesdrop.

"I'm fine," he lied, though he didn't sound very convincing.

"Did you tell her?" He asked quietly; Zidane gave a miserable nod. "Do you still think it was the right thing to do?"

"If my words gave her any sense of closure incase I don't come back – whether it be now, or the fight with Kuja in however long… then it's worth it…" Blank half smiled at him, clapping a hand on his back.

"Things will be okay between you guys… I'm sure of it…" Though he knew Zidane would take it as the redhead supporting him, Blank really knew that Dagger wasn't as willing as the blonde thought she was. The moment she saw him again, she'd probably slap him, then leap into his arms…

Things between them weren't over, and he had a feeling that the genome knew that too.


"Are we there yet?" Cinna whined, feeling like he'd been walking in the sun for days.

"No," Baku growled, coiling his hands into fists. That was the umpteenth time he'd asked within the last sixty minutes, while everyone walked in silence.

They'd been out of the marsh for three hours now, and the sun was getting to that dangerous point in the sky. They were nowhere near where he expected them to be, but that was his fault alone. It had been a long time since he had trekked over any amount of land on foot, and even longer since he'd been in this part of the continent. He could tell you exactly how many steps it was from Dali to virtually anywhere else on the northeast part of the continent, but here? He had no idea.

The others sensed his tension – even Cinna – and he figured that's why the thief felt like he needed to continue to talk – trying to lighten the mood with what he thought was humor, when all it was, was annoying.

Their leader tried to spot some cover without making a scene. He didn't want the others to know that he was so irritable because they wouldn't have a place to hide incase scouts were in the distance, on higher ground, and harder to spot. But then again, they had probably already figured it out.

"Baku!" Ruby gasped, wheeling to a stop. The others behind her followed suit. The leader turned around, ready to snap at the girl, until he saw what the teen was pointing at.

"What the fuck is that, and when did it get there?" He demanded, moving towards the dark outline. Trees billowed over each other, looking bulky and dark compared to the bright sky and light green grass of the prairie.

"Do you think that's Chocobo Forest?" Zenero questioned. "I heard it disappears when danger is presented, but appears when someone who presents no danger needs help."

"Well that's definitely us…" Baku mumbled, glancing around. The sun was at the high point in the sky, but the forest wasn't too far away… Maybe if they rested now, they could move into the night.

Before he had even made a decision, most of his team had taken off at a sprint. Maybe they knew how dangerous walking out here was, even more than I thought… He figured in his mind, sighing. I wish they wouldn't run… And with that last pessimistic thought, he began puffing, bracing himself for an agonizing jog.

Maybe it was because he was getting a bad feeling about the exposing sunlight, or maybe he was just really becoming fond of dark places, but Zidane felt calmer the closer he got to the dense thicket of trees. The deep hue of tree tops – something almost blue in the shade coaxed him forward, matching his speed with Blank's.

The two raced, the blonde only one step behind the redhead – the quickest on the team. They pushed themselves harder, feeling the wind rushing in their ears, grinning at each other in competition, and maybe almost forgetting why they were running in the first place.

Once under the cover of the first few trees, they turned, peaking through the life-size leaves, watching as Cinna and Baku comically stumbled towards them, their pace agonizingly slow.

"Hurry it up, guys!" Zidane laughed, eyes glittering at the sight in front of him. It took his mind off of what had already happened that day. The idea of death surrounded him constantly, and never bothered him too much. He truly thought he was doing the right thing by telling Dagger to move on, and that's why, he figured, he didn't feel so broken. Or maybe, somewhere in his mind, he knew he'd see Dagger again, and that would make this whole thing between them okay. Because if he didn't have the strength to fix it between them, she would.

Of course, Zidane pretended it was the former.

By the time Baku reached them, puffing and groaning, and flopping on the padded ground in an attempt to catch his breath, they were already exploring their surroundings. Cinna was the only one who seemed content with staying put as he stared out into the bright prairie. "What do we do now?" He asked, tilting his head to the side with slight worry. Moving during the day was dangerous, but moving during the night… that was almost just as bad.

"We wait…" Baku answered once he found his voice.

"Wait for… what exactly?" The thief asked, wincing because he already knew the answer.

"Night fall…"


She had never seen a structure quite like that, in her entire life. Her shimmering turquoise eyes stared up at the mountain pass in pure awe.

"Impressive, isn't it, Eiko?" Fratley said from beside her. He was radiating, basking in pride. Freya stood next to him, silent, but just as proud.

"It's huge!" That could have been Eiko's understatement of the century.

The mountains already built higher than she'd ever seen before – even the canyons of Conde Petie were not quite as peaked. Lopsided trees and a few specks of flowers dotted the barely-grassed area. The passage, known as Gizmaluke's Grotto, was a turquoise-stoned arch higher than Lindblum's tallest tower. Two stone Bermecian guards stood watch over the passage way, weapons in hand, faces carved solemnly for the rest of eternity. The actual entryway was small – almost a speck in the distance, above a grand staircase that rivaled Ipsen's Castle.

"The Grotto was fabricated as a last defense, and now it proudly stands as the entry way into Bermecian territory…" He looked away, biting his lip, "but Kuja has control of it now."

"Come to think of it," Beatrix began speaking out loud as they started moving forward again, "I'm surprised Kuja hasn't knocked it down altogether."

"It would inconvenience his shipment of soldiers and supplies through this area," Freya explained, her voice kept even, "But I am surprised the grandeur of it all is still in tact."

"Are you coming, Dagger?" Steiner was the only one who openly made to gawk at the girl, who had hardly spoken a word at all unless answering someone's direct question. Even then, the answers were short and quiet.

"Yes," she nodded politely, not bothering to make eye contact with him.

"Did something happen –"

"I'm fine, Steiner," she insisted a little more harshly than what was expected. He narrowed his eyes. Her tone made him instantaneously suspicious.

He was about to argue with her, before Eiko, of all, people, reached out, snatching up his arm. He glanced down at her in slight confusion, but she just shook her head, silently telling him not to pester her today. This seven-year-old girl must have known something that Steiner didn't.

The gears in his head started to turn, but he decided wisely to stay silent.

As they left the warmth of the sun behind them, slowly descending into the shadow of the mountain, it was Freya who halted, her whole body frozen. To one's ear, her whole presence suddenly vanished, and that instantly put everyone else on edge.

Beatrix's hand curled around the hilt of her sword, the leather on the insides of her gloves squeaking. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, tickling her, as her sharp eyes scanned the Bermecian, and the area in front of them.

Fratley was the next to freeze, stopping similar to Freya, as both sets of ears swiveled back and forth, trying to listen.

Without warning, both had drawn their spears from their backs, bursting forward with sudden liveliness.

"The grotto is under attack!" Fratley howled, "Draw your weapons! We're going in right away!" There was no time for an argument as the two dashed away – Steiner and Beatrix losing their authority when Amarant and Eiko followed without question.

The loud hammering of their heavy footsteps up the staircase was soon joined by the pinging of swords clashing, and shouts of orders, anger, and death from in front of them. The growing worry blossomed in the pit of their stomachs as they rushed forward, hoping to help anyone survive this fight.

Kuja's soldiers – not just simple-minded black mages, or the drunken idiots that guarded the ever-empty dungeons, but the golden armored, well trained soldiers – fought ruthlessly against the humble Bermecians. Swords slashed down many people who Fratley knew at some point in his life, and anger flashed in his eyes. Without another word, he charged, a renewed battle cry echoing off of the walls.

"It's Sir Fratley!" The phrase was gasped from both friend and foe down the winding tunnels of Gizmaluke's Grotto, adding to the endless sounds of a condensed battlefield. Around Bermecian territory, the name was known by all – some feared it, and others embraced it. Mutters whispered around them, sounding like voices whisked away by death, and giving an eerie feel to their situation.

Fratley didn't take a moment to listen to these words as he saved a younger Bermercian knight by piercing the stomach of one of his enemies. The rest wouldn't be so easy – this one was just luckily caught off guard.

Dagger skid to a stop as soon as she entered the cavern. There were too many people around to have a proper fight, the air filled with disadvantage for those trying to hold the defense. She scanned the area before her comrades got too far ahead of her, already conjuring a healing spell that would hopefully fall over at least a few of her unknown allies. The tingling feeling morphed into a soothing coolness by the time it reached her palms and it left her softly, glittering diamonds of power falling like physical graces from heaven over the injured, who slowly pulled themselves to their feet, trying to readjust their battle plans.

"I can't keep this up for forever!" She reminded Beatrix and Steiner, the two closest to her. They nodded, knowing if they wanted to protect everyone in the room, the fight would have to end sooner than later.

With reinforcements, it was easier to rid the Bermecians of the soldier pests, the newcomers gaining up on them, full of fierce energy as they swept through the cavern. Eiko bounced around in delight, happy that none of the soldiers could quite reach her with her bounding speed and petite figure. She was overly talented with fighting for being so young, and it was easy for her to smack her steel rod into the backs of the soldiers' knees, crippling them as they crumpled to the ground.

That gave Steiner and Beatrix the chance to pounce with their swords, Dagger and Amarant bringing up the rear. Freya and Fratley were already too far ahead of them, fire flickering in their eyes, tasting the hatred like venom for Kuja's lackeys. Amarant almost lazily tossed his weapons, watching as, from out of nowhere, people would be struck down, before he reached up to catch them again. He didn't flinch when drops of blood rolled down onto his hands, before he would smirk and toss it again in a completely different direction.

The raven stumbled forward when something bumped into her from behind. Quina had just joined them, having been distracted along the way by various types of flowers and small animals. His tongue waggled happily, and no matter the frustration or sadness that Dagger was feeling, he always made her smile.

"Quina! Go help them as best you can!" She directed, wheeling around and pointing frantically to the battlefield below.

He nodded and jogged off, his belly tossing this way and that as he scuffled down the slanted path.

"We should move away from the entrance," Amarant instructed, suddenly putting his hand on her shoulder and steering her in the same direction Quina went, "we don't know if more soldiers will come in or not."

"Right!" She nodded, moving away from his lead and running to meet up with the rest of the warriors. She was throwing spells this way and that, healing poisons, silences, and waking up the people who had been knocked out. She felt all sorts of numbing spells leave her body, sucking most of her energy with it.

It seemed to be an endless battle as everyone pushed against the soldiers. They weren't sure if more were pooling in, or if they were just that good.

"What is the status on the rest of the grotto?" Freya demanded from an older Bermecian knight she was helping take on three soldiers.

"We do not know… They came at us from that direction – we were the last to engage in battle… I've no idea how the rest of us are faring."

She narrowed her eyes, glancing at Fratley who seemed to have gathered the same information as she. He was already pushing through the throngs of fighting people, trying to make it to the hall conjoining two caverns. She mirrored his movements, jabbing anybody who came too close, or lending a helping hand when she needed to. Freya could hardly keep an eye on the other knight, unable to see through the many Bermecian hats, and obnoxiously bright, golden armor of Kuja's men. Sounds of battle flooded her ears, almost to the point where she was dizzy.

There was so much fighting – why did everyone have to fight? Was there nowhere left in the world that was safe for anyone – friend or foe? She tried to block this haunting thought from her mind, but it seemed to be dragging her down as people knocked into her, too wrapped up in their own fights to notice the slow-moving Bermecian. Where was she trying to go again? More thoughts flooded her mind before she could answer her own question; this war was a pointless one… Why didn't Kuja's soldiers see that their family and friends were the ones that they were really hurting – civilians trying to live honest, regular lives out in small towns...?

A man in a helmet jumped out at her, a battle cry falling on deaf ears as he brought his sword down to her. She glanced up, seeing it under this dizzying spell in slow motion, too absorbed in her painful thoughts to even think to stop it. She was jostled as someone stepped in front of her, and then a bright light enveloped her, a dark hue of violet being extracted from her being, and suddenly everything sped up again.

Steiner looked at her with wild eyes, trying to detect if the spell was still there. Everyone was battling quite loudly again, and Freya glanced around, as though she'd been asleep in her mind.

"Are you okay now?" He asked, pulling her protectively towards him. She blinked, confused. Why was he asking? "Freya!"

Her head snapped up, "What?" She growled, suddenly remembering her plan to follow Fratley.

"A slow spell was cast on you… Did Dagger's counter spell work?" He demanded, not caring that he was arguing with her in the middle of a gory fight.

She nodded, finally processing the situation. "We have to follow Fratley!" She shouted to him, ducking under a sword swung too high. "The rest of the grotto might be in deeper trouble than this!"

He nodded and started to clear a path. Narrow Bermecian spears and sleek Alexandrian swords made for speed were really nothing against his old school broadsword, swinging this way and that – sometimes hitting a target, and sometimes not. A path was cut nevertheless, and the two of them sprinted into the halls, hoping to find space to run.

Dagger watched both of them disappear soon after Fratley. Her spot on the path was still relatively clear, giving her a free reign with spells. She watched Beatrix slam a man into the wall, Eiko clambering up a support beam to the side, slamming her rod into helmet of a man chasing her. The vibrations sent him rattling backwards.

"Please be safe…" She mumbled, hoping that this fight wasn't as bad as it looked, and wouldn't consume anymore lives of those she knew…


"This is the south gate?" Cinna mumbled, peaking over Marcus who was crouched in front of him. "It sure looks different than the last time we went through here…"

"That's because the last time Prima Vista flew by, Kuja's men hadn't overrun it," Marcus explained quietly.

"We're going through there?" Vivi asked, uncertainty in his voice.

"Indeed we are, Master Vivi," Baku nodded, having picked up on Steiner's nickname for the mage.

"But how?"

"We're going to be sneaky!" Cinna cheered, earning Marcus' hand slapped over his mouth.

"Shut up!" He hissed venomously, "Or you'll get us all killed… This isn't a game anymore… This is a real thing –"

"We've been in tougher situations," Zidane decided, a grin overtaking his face. Right now, he had to be positive and upbeat for his team, even though flashes of Dagger's broken hearted face still lingered in his mind's eye.

"I don't think a bunch of fat, drunken guards are going to be a problem…" Blank agreed, his arrogance inflating with every word.

"That's really not who I'm worried about," Marcus took this time to jerk his thumb in the direction of the gate. They had to squint to see, but by the torch light, they saw men riding white chocobos, both man and beast adorned in golden armor. Black mages flanked either side.

"Oh…" Cinna breathed. "Well shit… That changes everything."

"Indeed," Baku agreed. "Alright, listen up you bastards… Here's the plan… There can't be any live bait – those chocobos are going to be faster than any of us… They're the special white breed, which means it's going to be harder to get around their sense of smell. Damn chocobos having the fucking smelling senses of a dog!" He added in with a gruff tone, an irritated sigh slipping out of his lips.

"Okay, so we sneak… That won't be a problem."

"What about Vivi?" All eyes slid to the mage who became instantly nervous. "He's not very good at stealth yet and –"

"It'll have to work," Baku interjected with a fierce shake of his head. "If Vivi is spotted, we'll fight like hell to get out of here… Don't fight if you don't have to – just run."

The tensions suddenly rose when their leader mentioned a fight. Blank's eyes slid to Ruby. "Maybe you should take Vivi and run…"

She raised her eyebrow at him, "I recall lotsa times I've beaten you in a fight, Blank," She told him with an air of ignorance. "Besides, Vivi can do more than all of us put together… We keep him 'round so he can fight too!"

Baku nodded, "She's been a part of this team long enough, Blank. Just because you decided to be a shithead and ruin the dynamics by telling her you loved her-" his cheeks blazed red. Who had found out? Who told everyone?! "-doesn't mean she's not still a part of this team. She's in it whether there's danger or not and –"

"Okay okay! Christ, just shut the hell up," He folded his arms angrily in front of his chest and slumped back, deciding not to partake in the rest of the conversation. Ruby let out a faint giggle in response.

"I think, that we're going to be fine… We had the best of the best teaching Vivi… Who better than Ruby really?" Cinna grinned cheekily at them, standing and staring at the gate. "The real question is… Where do we sneak through? I don't know about you guys, but I'm not climbing the entire mountain to get to Treno. If we don't get to walk on flat ground at least half of the time, I'm out."

"Shut up!" Marcus rolled his eyes, swatting him on the side of the head. "You'll do whatever the hell Baku wants us to do."

"We could use live bait and send Cinna out there," Zidane suggested, a grin on his face. He always did a good job lightening the mood, and this was no different.

"Hey now! I think that –"

"I don't care what you bastards think!" Baku growled at them, punching Cinna in the nose with enough force to make him stumble back, a baffled expression consuming his face.

"You didn't hit him!" He whined, throwing his finger out to point at Zidane. His complaint was ignored.

"I think Zidane was onto something," Baku nodded, his thoughts silencing the team. "Ruby… I think you should use your… feminine looks to our advantage." Though she let on a foxy grin, Blank shot up, about ready to object. "Nobody cares what you have to say!" He barked before the redhead could talk.

"But –"

"Blank," she sighed, "ya'll need to have a 'lil more faith…" She turned to him, a smile gracing her lips, "Yer sure sweet, Darlin', but it's gon' be annoyin' if you keep doin' that."

He clamped his mouth shut, not even sure how he should respond to that. Baku took that as a cue to continue. "Are we ready?"

"We didn't even talk about the rest of the plan!" Vivi cried, except Tantalus had already moved out from behind the rock.

"Sure!" Zidane chuckled, the sound echoing softly in the quiet night, "You just missed it!"

I really feel like their mindless bickering wasn't a plan at all… He told himself, exasperated. He sighed before stepping out from their hiding place, trying to remember everything Ruby had taught him.


Beatrix's sword clattered against another, the sound ringing loudly in her ears. Beads of sweat dotted her hairline, and she flipped her long brunette hair behind her shoulders. The usual curl to her ends straightened with dampness, and moisture gathered between her clothes and armor, creating an uncomfortable stickiness.

Though she probably had more to worry about at that point… If the battle did ever end, they wouldn't have time to find cover… The retreated troops or lack of them to report to their superiors would send Kuja's forces galloping towards them.

Grinding her teeth together, she threw all of her weight against her weapon, slinging the other sword backwards. She used this quick maneuver to finish her swing, cutting down the gnarly looking soldier in front of her. She winced when he hit the floor, and leapt over his form.

There's got to be something different we can do here… She ducked under a sword, planting her fingertips lithely on the ground as she swung her leg out, sliding in a half circle and affectively knocking over the man who sought to cut her down.

There has got to be a way to get passed all of these men… As the woman continued to wrack her brain, she heard shouts from behind her. Standing up straight, her head whipped around, sticky pieces of hair clinging to her face. Men were suddenly appearing at the opening they'd come through awhile ago, and they were not allies.

But they weren't moving any further in than the entrance as they blew horns and yelled commands.

Amarant spotted the oncoming hoard and shoved Dagger down the rest of the way into the cavern, hoping her weapon could at least defend her against the deadly swords. He pulled out his claws and used a menacing glare, trying to keep people away from her. It turned out, however, that he didn't have to.

"Retreat!"

"Get the hell out of there!"

"Let's move!"

"This isn't worth it!"

He was finally processing some of the things the newcomers were saying. The battle was finally drawing to a close after a solid few hours of fighting. Only Beatrix and Dagger were left with him in the very first room, Eiko and Quina having disappeared some time ago in the swarm – they hoped those two were alright.

To save themselves more problems, the three of them wisely pressed against the stone wall, squishing together so the soldiers could stumble past them. The angry Bermecians were rushing forward, trying to slash down the retreating men.

"Stop!" Beatrix cried, throwing herself in front of the rat-like creatures. "Let them go!"

"They're Kuja's men!" Someone protested, and the throng pushed against her. They had enough respect – and maybe fear - however, to not move around her.

"You'll aggravate them into fighting more! Look at your wounded! Your dead! Let them go and save the battle for a time that you are all stronger!" She pleaded harshly, hoping that they wouldn't provoke another battle.

That seemed to work, and soon enough, Kuja's armored soldiers had disappeared from the grotto.

"We have to go find Steiner, Freya and the others!" Dagger called, rushing forward and disappearing suddenly, before the other two could stop her.

She was rushing down hallways, trying not to look into the faces of the dead. She had dealt with fatality before, but it still unnerved her. These were people, enemies or not, that she had never known the names of, and now… never would. The very idea that swirled around that statement sent chills scattering down her spine, branching out like suffocating vines.

The tunnel was dark – fire every few feet illuminating patches of the massacre that had just passed. Every time her foot hit something, she would wince, just trying to pass into the next cavern unscathed.

Finally, light pooled around her again, and she realized while the fight reached this room last, it also ended their last as well. Now there were just Bermecians trying to pick through who was hurt, and who had passed over. Immediately, she mustered all of the energy she could, and started casting healing spells.

Many younger warriors stared at her in awe. They'd seen the weak healing magic some gifted Bermecians could maneuver, but nothing as powerful as white magic. With wide eyes, they ooh'ed and ahh'ed, gaping as she saved the lives of many.

"Dagger!" Beatrix buffed, blowing her hair from her face and swatting at it when it didn't move as far as she had wanted it to. "Don't run off like that!" She stopped when she saw how many were down in this room. She grew quiet and had to look away. If only they'd left just a little bit sooner, they might have been here longer to help…

Before they could argue on the subject any further, Steiner entered the room, just sheathing his bloodied sword. His expression was grim. "Dagger… up…"

"But these people –"

"We have to get moving… If they report back to Kuja that they've located us, we're going to need as much of a head start as we can get…"

"We can't just leave all of these people!"

"You are… part of the resistance?" A younger Bermecian interjected, bravely standing, though his leg was mangled, and he had to limp painfully over to the three of them. Dagger immediately dropped back to the ground to heal it.

"Yes… We were passing through when we heard the attack…"

"Thank you. I do not believe we could have held out much longer without your inspiration and energy."

"Oh no, no!" Steiner put his hands up, his cheeks flushing with modest embarrassment, "It is not us that stays so strong in these times of war."

"And yet you, Steiner of the Pluto Knights –" He was shocked… this young knight knew his real title? A surge of pride (and giddiness) shot through him, causing the older man to absolutely beam. "- are one of many beacons of hope that the once small resistance now provides."

"You know of us?"

"Everyone knows… Ever since Dali –" all three of them visibly flinched, "- your group has been out in the open. Many people have heard tales of your heroics, though we do not know where to locate you…"

"Who are you?" Beatrix inquired as Dagger stood, reviving all of the damage she could. He stared down in slight admiration for a moment, flexing his toes in his battered boot.

"My name is Ringily," he bowed slightly, "from the new order of Dragon Knights."

"New order?" Beatrix raised an eyebrow. "We have some in our ranks that were part of the Dragon Knights when they were still around."

He nodded as he walked along side the raven haired girl, watching as she continued to heal the wounded as they talked. "Freya Crescent and Irontail Fratley are two of a few legendary Dragon Knights that caused many of us to band together in a makeshift guild, trying to rebuild something of ourselves… Almost everyone in the grotto has trained together to become a perfected unit, much like they used to do."

"We should tell Freya and Fratley –" Before Dagger finished, Ringily stood a little taller.

"I would like to join your cause, if you would have me."

All of them froze.

"What?"

He nodded, "If I could have sought you out, I would have. But I understand that your location must be kept secret for safety… But there are others here, I know, who would love to accompany you."

They glanced at each other before Beatrix called out, "I'm going to find Freya and Fratley."

Steiner nodded to her, and then turned to the younger Bermecian. "Thank you… When we swing back through here we could pick you up –"

"Bring them now," Dagger argued. "They should be able to train with the others for as long as they can. It'll be easier than having them wait here when there could be another attack from Kuja."

The knight considered this, and then found a hidden meaning in her words. "You cannot stay here and heal all of these people, Dagger… Your face is too recognizable."

"Steiner, they'll die!" She insisted, gesturing to those around her. "If I have to stay until they're ready to go back to –"

"Absolutely not!" He howled at her, his voice raising higher than he would have liked. The echo, bouncing off of the walls of the dreary cavern, drew all eyes to them. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "You'll die."

"I'll stay…" The voice was small, but incredibly confident. They glanced over to the hall, leading to the next and last cavern of Gizmaluke's Grotto.

"Eiko?" She whispered, her chocolate eyes shining. The girl walked loudly, oblivious to all of the staring eyes. For a moment, fear flickered on her face, but she sucked it back into her being, putting on an innocent smile and adding a small skip to her steps.

"Someone can escort me to Bermecia when we're all done here and I can lead them back to the marsh… It'll be easier this way…" She turned to Dagger, an unreadable expression overtaking her face, "I agree with Steiner. You can't stay here – nobody really can anymore."

She shook her head, feeling incredibly outnumbered. She wished she had Zidane standing behind her so – she stopped that thought before she could even finish it. As despair overtook her thoughts from what had happened earlier that morning, she slumped in defeat.

"But before anything can be decided, we must talk with Fratley and Freya…" Steiner nodded, wandering away from the pair.

Dagger opened her mouth, as though to let out a cry, before painfully slinking away, collapsing to help more people, trying to block her defeat, and the blonde, from her mind.


"We're lucky Ruby carries so much perfume with her," Cinna snickered, only earning a foot kicking him in the mouth. He groaned ever so slightly, earning another kick, before he finally fell silent.

Currently, they were scaling the rock to the left of the gates, hoping to get close enough to sneak around. Their chances were so slim due to the enhanced chocobos, flickering light, and men in golden armor, but they were trying anyways.

Everyone was secretly proud of Vivi – he hadn't made a sound yet, and that was more than Cinna, and even Zidane at a few points, could say for themselves. They didn't want to make the mage uncomfortable, however, by saying it out loud. It was a slow going process, and the closer they got, the more Baku started to doubt his team's stealth abilities. They were surprisingly sneaky, and yet, the feeling in his gut was telling him to back out now, and try a different approach.

Of course, saying anything at this point would blow their cover anyways, so he kept his mouth clamped shut, wincing every time someone stepped on a rock with more sound than just a patter.

They stopped just outside the glow of the firelight, eyes piercing the soldiers, talking in a relaxed tone, just below them.

Suddenly, at the perfect moment, Ruby stumbled into the glow of the fire, staggering slightly. She gripped at her stomach, groaning as she collapsed on the ground. At seeing a pretty face in distress, the soldiers didn't think twice as they rushed to her aid.

"Miss! Miss are you alright? Where are you coming from?" One demanded, though his tone was gentle. He put his hands on her shoulders and helped her sit up.

Her eyes were tired and her hair was disheveled. When she finally unraveled her arms from around her body, the men gasped. Her shirt was bloodied in all sorts of different places, the dark crimson stain standing out against the white of her blouse.

"Dear God!" One gasped.

"We'll get you help," the other said, lifting her into his arms. She started to squirm and struggle and cry, and that was Tantalus' cue to move forward. As Ruby wailed, causing a bigger scene than she probably needed to, the rest of her troupe crept around the stone arch of the gateways, left unprotected, like spiders dancing along a wall in search of prey.

Zidane held his breath as Vivi scampered around the large pillar. His tiny hands could barely hold on, but to the blonde's amazement, the black mage scuttled around it, making almost no noise.

But considering the way those guards were hovering over Ruby as she played up her fake wounds, the boys could have danced through the gate with a few drinks, singing and yelling and laughing and they still probably wouldn't have noticed.

Normally, there came a time when suddenly, a Tantalus plan would stop working the way it was supposed to… Perhaps it was simply because they never talked through a full plan, and just sort of winged it that was the problem… Or maybe, things just never quite turned out how they anticipated them, but nevertheless, the problem had come…

As they snuck away from the torch mounted on the wall, Ruby's shrieks became fainter and fainter. Sure, she had distracted the first few guards, but how were they going to wind their way through the whole encampment…

Worse yet…

How the hell were they going to get Ruby through the passage with them?


A/N: I'm sorry about the awkward place to stop, but if I didn't stop it there, it wouldn't have ended for another few pages, and that seemed like too long of a chapter.

I hope you enjoyed that one! Don't be too upset with me over Dagger and Zidane :P Don't worry, you'll love what's in store for them (all of them really) next!

-zesty-