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Cavern of Remembrance(click to play,listen to this when you read my blog)

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Lindblum University Final Chapter followed by a special chapter called Congratulations

Click for the Japanese version of CHAPTER 7


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Chapter 7

"Yer so cheap."
Ruby rolled her eyes after seeing Zidane coming downstairs to the living room with his usual exultant smile the next morning.
"Oh, Zidane, did your fever go down already?"
"Heheh I feel great!"
Zidane sticked out his fore and middle finger to form a victory sign.
"That Princess sure is your exlir."
"Instead of that. How naive and innocent is his brain anyways?"
Blank remarked behind him.
"Did you go into her body properly?"
"How rude!"
"Stupid don't get a cold again. Today your class is shut down. All because you spread the germs around."
Zidane clicked his tongue. But the next second his blue orbs were glistening gratification
"Dagger is going to be here until afternoon."
"Oh really? That's convenient."
"I'm going!"
Zidane bolted out of the house before even finishing the sentence.
"Hey! At least eat yer breakfast~! Ah maybe he's more quiet when he's sleepin'."
"But it's not like Zidane when he's not so cheerful."
"Well that's true."
"More than that, Ruby, I'm hungry."
".....Do ya say notthin' else other than askin' for food, shower and sleep?"
"Huh? I'm talking to you like always. Don't you understand our human language?"
Leaving the two people arguing behind, Marcus and the other Tantalus members decided to retreat.

After, Zidane was spotted in the castle by Alberta and got mandated into making up for the lessons he had missed during absense. Perhaps someone had plotted this strategy from the very beginning.
Garnet beamed mischievously while looking at the Lindblum town through the windows.
The sunlight of mid-spring sprinkled all its heart-warming elegance onto the town, the far-away sea, and the entire planet.
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Okay done~The special chapter is after this~
It's called "Congratulations" ^_^
This is pretty short too so...
Click for the original version
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Congratulations

Around the end of June.
There would always be a graduation being held in the Lindblum University.
To the students who had gone through 2 years of strict academic study, it was the most joyous and proud time of the whole school experience.
And, the time when friends beed farewell to each other.
Some may go into a profession and dive deep into the sea of that particular knowledge.
Some may get a occupation and hope to clasp success.
And some may go around the world like a long yet productive journey.
Nevertheless.
This year's graduating class had an extraoridinary student.
The shining blond hair and crystal clear blue eyes. The young man with a monkey tail.
Yes, he was going to marry the a Queen of a place after he graduated---!

* * *

"Everyone please line up. I will now be flattered to announce the student of the 45th graduating class. Please applause to welcome."
The plaza were suddenly filled with whistles and exclaims.
The graduating students entered their area, each wearing black gown with the school symbol and a cubic hat.
After all the students had arrived, Mr. Alberta opened the naming lists and coughed in order to clear his throat.
"These names shall be recognized and be endowed with a degree."
Mr.Alberta announced each of the student's name starting from the Engineering Course.
Continued Flight Course, Science Course......and finally the Laws and Politics Course.
The name of all the students were called, except for one.
"The graduating student valedictorian of the 45th ceremony, Zidane Tribal, from the Laws and Politics Course."
"Here."
Several people nudged the blond boy before he stood up.
He went up to the podium while laughing.
The Principal-Regent Cid-stroke his beard before declining in a proud voice.
"Degree. The 45th Graduation Ceremony, Zidane Tribal. Said person had earned a certain place in Lindblum University history. I now give this Law and Politics Degree to you. Year 1804, the end of June. Regent Cid IX....Congratulations!"
Smiling in satisfaction, Regent Cid handed him the diploma.
Zidane, receiving the diploma, gave him a frolicsome, teeth-showing grin.
Then, he faced towards the students.
At that moment,
"LONG LIVE LINDBLUM UNIVERSITY!!!!"
The graduating students exclaimed and thrust all of their hats into the sky.
People were embracing their friends, knocking their shoulders, chatting to their teachers.
No one ever doubted that light would reside in the new life they were going to start from tomorrow.

This year, there would be more new students coming into this glorious university.----


* * *

"Zidane!"
She finally found him within the crowded parents.
"Dagger! You came."
Zidane approached Garnet, hugging her gently.
"Zidane this is wonderful! You graduated as the number one student..! Uncle Cid complimented you so much."
"Heh heh, yeah."
Zidane scratched his nose, smiling shyly.
Garnet smiled from the bottom of her heart,
"Congratulations, Zidane."
and gave him congratulating words.
Zidane came closer to her, placing his lips just beside her ear, and whispered like this.
"Finally, I get to be with you from tomorrow, Dagger~♪"

Fortunately, no one noticed the red faced embarrassed Queen inside all the clamor.

Lindblum University Chapter 6

Click for the Japanese version of CHAPTER 6

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Chapter 6

"You again? Gimme a break"
Ruby greeted the visitor agitatedly.
"I am sorry for my behaviour before."
Magarita apologized properly.
"I completely misunderstood. What an embarassing misunderstanding!"
Ruby flinched at the squeaky girl's voice.
"But I am extremely flattered to meet her! So now I am very excited."
"O-oh. Just calm down, will ya? Yer too excited."
"In conclusion!"
Magarita, coruscating even more, hovered over Ruby.
"Will you please tell Zidane-sama this? I just met her. And I comprehended everything. She is a very, very unbelievably marvellous person! I wish for the happiness of the two from the bottom of my heart!"
After quickly explaining everything in one breath, Magarita beed them farewell in a cute manner and left.
"That kid....is mighty.....energetic."
Ruby mumbled while watching her leave.
"But."
Blank, who finished the card game, paced towards the door.
"Isn't she misunderstanding again? Who is 'she' anyways?"
"Yeah, but woman's sixth sense are alway correct."
Blank began to sweat when Ruby exhibited her crooked smile.

* * *

Zidane opened his eyes due to the additional prescence of another person in the room.
A hand that was holding on to a towel was in front of his eyes.
He was able to identify the hand even though the red light of dusk darkened his room.
The hand was white. A small hand that belonged to a pretty girl.
It was not Ruby's.
Futhermore-It was a hand that he was really farmiliar of.
When the image in his memory and reality overlapped into the same thing, an answer floated above the surface of his brain.
Immediately, he sat up with expedition.
"Dagger?"
The owner of those hands had an astounded look on her face.
"Oh, did I wake you up?"
She inquired, tilting her head.
That instant, Zidane fell into the eternal vortex of confusion.
There was no way that the girl he loved the most in the whole universe could be in Lindblum, more specifically in Tantalus.
This was a hallucination.
Did he see something he was not supposed to see due to this fever...?
"Are you okay?"
Garnet('s illusion) leered at him, worried.
"......Maybe I'm not."
"Well, it is better to lie down."
Garnet('s illusion) carefully smoothed out the blankets.
This time she set the cold towel on Zidane's forehead and smiled in content.
"Hey, is it true that you got a fever because you think too much?"
The gentle black irises scintillated in amusement.
"I heard that you are like this since you are little, Zidane?"
-------Somebody blabbed about something they should not have said. Thought Zidane with a blear mind.
....If it was hallucination he would not care anyways.
"I heard of Blank that you have been sick. Everyone in Tantalus came to pick me up. Though it was supposed to be a secret journey, but Beatrix found out before I could leave."
She chuckled.
"Everyone was dismayed that Beatrix could be so tolerant when she said to me 'If you are going to Lindblum, it is better a public visit so that you will be able to take it slowly.' And then after talking to Uncle Cid in a while in the castle, I came here."
Zidane stared at Garnet, who was talking in joy.
"Dagger."
"What?"
".....Could it be, that you are real?"
Garnet blinked several times before snickering.
"Of course. What did you think I was?"
"....Hallucination."
"No way. I am real. See?"
When those words ended, she took his hand and placed it on her cheeks.
Affirmatively, it was the warmth that he was longing for.
The warmth that he had yearned for so long.
"But."
Zidane, pulling his hand back in panic, sat up once again.
"Why....."
Zidane fell in silence for that he could not search for a proper way to say it.
---------Why did you come to my place?
That sounded too lame and pathetic.
"What why?"
"Why.....are you here?"
"Didn't I just tell you?"
"Not that."
Realizing connotation behind the descended blue eyes, Garnet led out a soft breath.
"Zidane, did you believe in that rumor?"
"....Not that I believed in it."
"But, you are concerned?"
He did not deny, therefore it was an implied 'yes'.
"Zidane! You silly. I would never marry other people."
"But..... I was thinking that, that guy would be more reliable to Dagger than me."
"No way."
Garnet disagreed instantly.
"Zidane, you are the only one who wants to support me alone."
The black irises pierced straight through.
"You are the only one who really wants to support me. I can vow...that would never change. Forever."
A few years ago, when he decided to carry all the burdens alone.
It was her sincere words that stopped him.
The words that were woven by the rose lips always ignited his heart.
The light that would never cease.
Zidane stretched out his arms and wrapped her in his arms.
"Sorry that I doubted you."
"It's okay. It was me who should be sorry for causing you pain. You even got a fever..."
Garnet looked up.
"And? What else are you troubled about?"
She asked with blithe, grinning.
Zidane's expression became more traumatized.
"It's all fine now."
"But everytime you have 3 things to be troubled about you get sick, right? What are the other 2?"
"......Dagger, you already know one of them."
"Homework?"
"Not in that direction."
"Oh, politics?"
"....Yeah."
Ahhh he hated last week's test.
"But why? I just saw Mr.Alberta earlier and he complimented you. He said you got the highest score in the most recent test."
Heh? Zidane stiffened with an opened mouth.
"Why? I only got 62%."
"Oh, Zidane that is fabulous!"
Garnet exclaimed.
"Alberta's exams are deadly famous. They say that it is impossible to score over 50%. You didn't know?"
".....R-really?"
"Yes. He is the number 1 teacher when it comes to making the students cry."
Blinking for a while, Zidane finally led out a sigh of relief.
"Zidane, are you that concerned about your grade?"
"Because if I do bad at politics then I won't be able to help you.."
Garnet grinned.
"Do you think if you do well at tests you would be good at politics? Dr.Tot always says that it is better to understand the concepts than remembering and not apprehending. If you can study them with interest, it's okay for you to get bad grades at tests, right?"
"It's not okay. If it's too bad then it would drop my grade point average."
"That's true."
Garnet concured with a beam.
"Speaking of which."
Garnet, starting a new conversation.
"I met a female student in the library today. She seems to be in the same class as you?"
Although Zidane automatically flinched by the mention of that girl, he feigned to be nonchalant.
"She seems to like Lord Avon's plays too....hey Zidane?"
"What?"
"She is somewhat your fan."
A fan that I would get a migrane just thinking about. Zidane whispered in his heart.
"But, Ruby just told me."
Garnet told how Magarita was prattling about "wishing the happiness of the two".
"Is that so...."
Zidane sighed in relief.
"But won't you be lonely? You finally had a admirerer"
"Not really. I am happy that I'm finally free. Ah, but..."
Zidane's eyebrows wrinkled.
"Maybe then she'll follow me in a different fashion now.."
Zidane -although vacant- was gleeful.
Because he was finally able to talk to his lover whom he was not allowed to see while still in study.

Lindblum University Chapter 5

Click for the Japanese version

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Chapter 5

Magarita was in the university library, reading books.
Zidane had not been in school for another 3 days.
She repented about going hysterical over his friends.
"I should not have shouted like that.."
She murmured.
The sunlight of spring shone upon the library through the transparent windows. The world seemed nothing but peaceful and placid.
"Zidane-sama...I hope he gets well soon.."
As she was about to descend her stares onto the books again.
"Do you like 'I Want To Be Your Canary' too?"
Someone abruptly talked to her.
When she acscended her head, a girl whom she never saw before, sat down on the opposite seat of the table.
She was extremely beautiful.
Although she seemed to not be that much older than Magarita. She appeared to be mature with a strong appearance, which embellished her beauty even more.
--------If she could only have such smooth skin like that.
Magarita immerged herself into that girl temporarily.
"I love everything written by Lord Avon."
The girl beamed gently.
Magarita pulled herself back in reality by that voice.
"I love them as well! Although I love reading the books too, I like seeing the plays more."
"Oh, what a coincidence. Me too."
The girl smiled wider.
Then, Magarita began to talk about the plays she had seen, feeling ecstatic.
In the beginning she did not like watching the plays very much, but since she knew that Zidane was in it she began to watch more and more.
Because of that, the center of the subject natrually evolved around Zidane.
"I know him very well."
The stranger girl answered cheerfully.
"Oh, you know him?"
"Yes. I saw many plays been acted by the Tantalus before...."
"Zidane-sama is a wonderful person. He did not brag much even though he left a huge mark in the previous war."
"Hm, yes."
She grinned.
"And he also has a lot of knowledge, like Zidane-sama has nothing that he doesn't know. He is strong yet stable, I admire him from the bottom of my heart."
Magarita became so excited that she was almost ranting.
She was very happy that someone would listen to her.
"Nonetheless, Zidane-sama had not been in here for a long time. I think he is troubled by the person whom stole his heart......But I had never seen him that upset before."
Magarita did not notice that as soon as she finished the sentence, those obesidian eyes misted in sorrow for a second.
"He must love that person very much. I could not do anything for him."
If he chose me, I wouldn't give him so much pain. Magarita whispered at the end of the sentence.
That moment, a small voice called out in the hallway. "Lady Garnet."
The black haired girl stood up gracefully.
"I am sorry, I must go now. ...I was a pleasure talking to you."
After a cool smile, she nodded to the soldiers that stood by the library door.
Magarita bulged her eyes at them.
Arthur came in while that girl stepped out of the door, and recognizing the identity of the girl, he greeted her in haste.
The black haired maiden returned with a smile.
When that girl left the place a while.
"Hey, Arthur."
Magarita gawked at Arthur, surprised.
"Who was that?"
"Mary, you don't know? That the Queen of Alexandria Lady Garnet."
"Queen Garnet....?"
Queen Garnet.....
She was also one of the eight heroes, from that war...
Oh that was right.
She told Magarita.
That she knew Zidane Tribal very well.
Of course....!
"Arthur!"
Magarita exclaimed in a high pitch, eyes sparkling.
"I know now!"
"What? What did you know, Mary?"
Inquired the confused young man who was being shaked violently.
"How...What a fantastic person..! I decided! I will go to Zidane-sama's residence at this instant!"
Magarita stormed out of the library.
Leaving the very bewildered Arthur dazing and standing still for a long period of time.

Lindblum University Chapter 4

Click for the original version of Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

"Even if you know one o'em....can ya think of da other two?"
"What should we do?"
"You can't do anything."
"Seriously.....everytime he gets 3 things to be troubled about he gets a fever......this habit never changed"
Ruby led out an enormous sigh.
"Maybe it's only a cold."
"Are you an idiot he's not gonna get a cold that easily."
"Maybe so~"
"Marcus.....you are really mean sometimes...."
When Blank was about to poke Marcus in the wound again.
"Excuse me....."
A squeaky voice was heard by the door.
They all turned around to look at the same time.
The girl with curly brown hair observed the inside of Tantalus headquater, expression frightened. She seemed to be 19 years old.
The tea colored pupils obviously conveyed fear.
"What?"
Ruby-who was wearing the most ordinary clothes-walked towards her, beaming.
"Um....Is this the place where Zidane Tribal-sama resides...?"
"Yeah, Zidane lives here. And ya are?"
"I am Magarita, I go to the same univeristy as Zidane-sama. He did not attend school, so I came to visit."
Blank, Cinna and Marcus exchanged looks with each other.
A girl came to visit him deliberately!!!
Only Ruby realized what was happening at the moment.
"Well Zidane has a fever and he ain't seein' anybody now. I know you came here but can ya come another day? I'll tell him if you've got any message."
Nevertheless, Magarita did not back down.
"Why are you living in here?"
"What does that mean?"
"It is definetely suspicious for a lady to live with an unrelated man"
"We lived together since we were little. Nothing weird."
"......Now I know. The girl Zidane-sama is in love with, it is you is it not? That is why Zidane-sama was not using the room that Regent Cid had given to him."
"Huh??"
Ruby's voice was distinctly impatient.
"I would not accept this! I have to see him right now!"
The rich-borned girl was attempting to barge into the house.
"EEEI you go back! I'm gonna get angry!"
And the big sister was shooing her away.
"Why?!?! Due to your affection to another man, Zidane-sama was very troubled!"
"Ah~You!"
Ruby was tired of denying every unpleasantness the girl had inflicted to her.
"Whatever will you just go back?? Yer givin' me a headache."
"How rude!!"
Just as Magarita screeched in frustration.
"Mary!!"
A tall, black haired young man with obesidian eyes appeared.
"Arthur! Listen! This person..."
"Mary what are you doing here?"
The black haired young man furrowed and tugged on Magarita's arms.
"I have come to visit Zidane-sama. But this person..."
"First let's go back. You know how your father will react if you argue like this?"
"But....!"
Tears flooded out of the tea colored orbs. After biting her lips, Magarita nodded.
"Okay, Arthur."
While watching the mistress being escorted back to her home by Arthur:
Cinna was still covering his ears.
Marcus was shivering.
Blank was perplexed about everything that happened in the past minute.
Ruby understood most of Zidane's situation.
-------Oh that was it.
Another one of Zidane's trouble was involved in this.
The rich girl who was infatuated the with the hero Zidane Tribal.
And the noble boy who had feelings for the girl.

Being asked by Mr.Alberta, who had not seen Zidane for 3 days now, Eiko came by to visit Zidane. Unfortunately the fever did not get any better.
"For the last strategy, we need 'that'."
Eiko declined loudly.
"What is 'that'?"
Ruby asked in a surprised face.
"There is only one instant cure or elixir-as some of you might say- when it comes to Zidane."
Eiko shook her purpled haired head---she seemed to be enjoying herself.
"Instant cure..."
"Or elixir..."
"You don't mean...."
After the Tantalus membered stared at each other face to face, the eyes went to Eiko once again.
She hopped out of the stool she was sitting on.
"I-the princess of the Lindblum-have a request for everyone in Tantalus. Please kidnap the Queen of Alexandria-Garnet Til Alexandros XVII."
Placing her arms on her waist, Eiko announced proudly.

Lindblum University Chapter 3

Click for the original version

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Chapter 3

Even so Zidane came out of bed grumpily and attended school.
It was a pressuring responsibility he had to obey.
--------But, the day did not turn out so well.
"Mr.Tribal...please solve this problem."
Not hearing the math teacher calling his name, Zidane merely blanked out by staring at the window with a hand supporting his face.
"Mr.Tribal, did you not hear me? .......ZIDANE TRIBAL!!"
After an almost hysterical holler, Zidane pulled himself together for the first time.
He leaped out of his seat.
"Y-Yes??"
"Please solve this problem."
"....? U-um....."
Just as he dropped his eyes on the textbook with an baffled expression.
"Zidane-sama."
The classmate who sat beside him whispered quietly.
"It is page 163 Question #15."

All the classamtes noticed the peculiar way that Zidane had been acting all day.
---------However, none of them knew that the Queen of Alexanderia and this monkey-tailed young man were actually lovers.
And none of them were able to get a rational answer out of him after 1 hour of interrogation. They were all wondering what was it that trouble him like such.

Zidane, attempting to do homework in the library but could not concentrate, eventually ended up gazing out the window.
From that day, he felt like that he would look at the world much further than he could have.
Moreover, it seemed to him that the time was not even moving forward.
All the bad elements tormented him more and more.
"Zidane-sama!!"
When he twisted his head in response, the classmate who sat beside him in math class examined him with a perturbed expression.
She was the daughter of a great Lindblum family, whose name was Magarita.
She was not a noble, but a mistress from a prestigious business family.
Being naive and clueless about the world, she was somewhat similar to a particular queen.
"Zidane-sama, you have been blanking out several times already. Did something happen?"
With a pair of tea-colored irises which were shimmering with worry, she inquired.
"No, nothing."
"You are lying. I know. Because you have been acting different from your normal self."
Zidane sighed heavily.
He was not very good at dealing with her.
She had been following him ever since he started to go to school, asking him an astonishing amount of questions.
.........Zidane guessed that she was kind of interested in him.
He could have rejected her gently if she ever told him how she feels.
But considering that she might cry, he did not know what to do. Making any female cry was against his nature.
"Should I guess what happened to you?"
She regarded him, eyes gleaming.
"It is because of a girl."
Bingo.
"The person you admired already has a lover. Is that so?"
-----So close.
"Oh that is so sad.......I would have chose Zidane-sama. Absolutely."
Saying that, Magarita captured his cheeks in both of her hands.
"Oh my godness what am I saying...Please do not mind anything that I have just said!"
She quickly dashed out of the library after becoming flustered with redness.
Zidane stared at her direction for a while.
Then, turning back to the table, he buried his face into his arms.

As Zidane went out of the Univeristy, getting ready to go back, another classmate bumped into him.
This time it was a male student; the heir of a noble-Arthur.
He glared at Zidane with menacing eyes.
"Zidane."
Sustaining a threatening expression, he called out sombrely.
"What?"
"What did you say to Magarita?"
.............This is bad luck. Thought Zidane.
---------It seemed like this Arthur had feelings for Magarita.
"Nothing really."
"Stop lying. She ran out with a red face. What did you do?"
If he was still the normal Zidane, he would have said "She just ran out by herself, what?" with a teasing intonation.
Now he was not in the mood for jokes.
"If you don't like her, then stop being flirting with her. You know how much she likes you, don't you?"
"......Sorta."
The black irises were teeming with fury.
"Do you think that since you are a hero you get to do whatever you want? If you think that all the girls in the entire universe would fall in love with you, you are very, very wrong!"
Even the heir of a noble-who was always stable and calm-would get edgy when it comes to his beloved.
Arthur ran out of his sight with a fierce face.
Bemused, Zidane blanked out once again.
--------If he could only be loved by that one person.
His heart was forlorn.

Lindblum University Chapter 2

Click for the original version of Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

After finally finishing the noble name list for preparation, Garnet sighed in relief.
"Are you tired?"
Jader asked with concern.
"No, I am fine."
Garnet beamed.
"Because of you most of my work are done. Thank you."
"No, my wish is to assist you as much as your command."
"You were very helpful. I appreciate it."
The smile that belonged to the most beautiful royalty was glimmering more than the finest jewelries themselves.
........No one would not fall for it.
Suddenly.
"Queen Garnet."
Jader called with a sombre expression.
"Yes."
Garnet tilted her head, listening.
"If you wish,"
He paused to observe her bewildered face.
"I would like be the one to assist you the most, from now on."
Garnet could not quite grasp the meaning of those words for a while.

* * *

This type of news always goes around in an eminent efficiency.
As Alexandria was still making decisions about it, the news was already all over Lindblum.
The Lindblum reporter surrounded the castle in order to get the latest scoop.
It was of course, the thief that flinched when the youthful girls gossiped around the marriage subject.
"The Queen's wedding would be so fantastic!"
"Isn't the groom a noble?"
"Yes yes. He was born in a famous noble family. According to my father, the groom was one of the farmiliar faces that would show up in difficult political meetings."
"Did your infamous tutor tell you that?"
"Yeah~The Queen would be satisfied."
"But doesn't the Queen have a lover?"
"Ah, do you know did you hear? She is going to wear those traditional wedding dress!"
Just as the most important topic was about to come up, it took into another direction that was about wedding dress and bouquet.
Zidane reached the Lindblum gate with a temporarily unconscious mind.

"Welcome back, darlin'. ....What's wrong?"
Ruby examined his expression.
"What happened? H~ey, Zidane?"
Although she waved her hand in front of him, there was no reaction.
"Hey, Blank! Zidane's kinda weird."
"Hm?"
Replying in one syllable, Blank approached them.
"What? What happened?"
"I dunno. No reactio' what'o ever."
"Maybe his grade point average dropped."
"Wow~that'll be a shock."
"That is not good. He will take extra time to graduate."
Marcus joined the conversation.
"I told him that studying with classmates is not made for him. He should've stopped."
"Even when yer say that, he has to do it or he won't be marryin' the darn pretty Queen."
The tail stiffened for a second. But the group, neglecting his reaction, continued to talk.
"Well, it's actually pretty easy on him, you only have to graduate to marry the Princess."
"Yeah duh! It should be a piece of cake for Zidane."
"Oh, there's a rumor going around that the Princess is going to marry a noble."
Cinna abruptly interjected as he carried a box of tools into the room.
The entire atmosphere went silent.
"Well, people say that the money ar' not enough."
"But that's not true..."
"Bro, you don't know anything."
"But still, there are a lot of rumors like this and they're all fake. Right?"
"Yeah, you shouldn't believe in'em rumors."
"I think so too."
Zidane went upstair soundlessly after a hostile glower at the 4 people.
"You! Cinna it's all because of you talkin' about this! Yer bad at timin'!"
"But..."
"Maybe we just upset him even more..."
"No change o' plans. I'll make Zidane's favourite dinner tonight."
"Zidane loves food. He'll be okay in no time."
"Ruby, I'll help you cook."
The three people randomly made out a plan and went their separate ways.
Blank, crossing his arms, cocked his head.
".....Is he okay?"

* * *

Like anticipated, Zidane was inside the blanket, curled like a ball.
Come of think of it, he was always there like that whenever he was upset.
"You didn't change at all."
Blank exaggerated a sigh and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Don't believe a rumor like that."
"I don't."
The response came from the blanket, all muffled and blurred.
"Then you should be fine with it. Why you so bummed?"
"....Because."
Zidane revealed half of his face and frowned.
"He is a noble."
"How should I know? I didn't hear the rumor."
"I heard that he is a very smart person."
"Really~?"
"Maybe he would be more helpful to Dagger when they get married........better than me."
"You are helpful to her too. Like the journey you guys took."
"But that was a journey. Once she goes back to the castle, she is not a normal girl anymore. She is the Queen."
Zidane mumbled without confidence while shrinking back into the blanket.
"I can't do anything for her.....I suck at politics."
Blank almost did a spit take.
"Are Dagger and politics even related?"
"Her job is all about politics."
"Do you think anybody can be a fine king as long as he has good grades?"
"......Maybe."
"You, did your GPA drop?"
".......No."
"Boss would be pissed and yell 'did you forget how to be a Tantalus?!'"
"......I want to forget."
"You...."
Blank rose his voice in an impatient lilt.
Zidane pumped up his cheeks with air.
"Then why isn't she replying me? ...This never happened before."
"There are no letters?"
"They didn't come since that rumor started to spread."
"Since the rumor started....how long exactly is that?"
"3 days."
"Hey.....3 days is very reasonable. The Princess is busy."
Blank hopped off bed after a slight sigh.
"Think about this rationally. Stop thinking about these stupid things."
When Blank paced back to the living room, Ruby questioned him with worried eyes.
"He is impossible."
"Are yer serious?! ...I even prepared a cold pack...."

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Lindblum University (The sequel to The Customer in the Guest Room)

Wohoo here's the sequel!!
And just recently i started a Japanese blog!
I have a lot of my drawings updated there so feel free to read :)
Click for the Japanese blog
Okay i haven't been much to any of the WRITING things lately but it's like my life so i will definetely get back to it
So click THIS for the original version of Lindblum University
Man I'm talky these days
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Lindlum University

Chapter 1

Zidane was mandated into attending Lindblum University.
He has never had an experience of sitting on a desk and study. But to he who knew that studying was absolutely positively not made for him, it was pure torture to be in a university.
Even so, he could not refuse because it was the most the signficant condition for him to marry his beloved.
The first semester passed since matriculation, and Zidane was able to cease the clamor between classamates in the same grade.
Well, due to his bright personality , the clamor had already been ceased long ago, even the most vigilant nobles approved his existance.
The main reason of chaos was that Zidane was one of the Eight Heroes from that war. However those people in the university had almost forgotten about it by now.
Besides, his grade point average was beginning to catch up since the late attendance.
Being his own specific governing tudor, Mr.Alberta was exceptionally surprised at his rapid improvement. "He was a very very intelligent man." Reported Alberta to Regent Cid. But Zidane himself did not know that.

* * *

In Alexandria, letters were delivered like fallen leaves in autumn.
Even Beatrix-the one who was responsible for carrying the letters addressed to the Queen to her office, was surprised.
But it was the only solution to let Zidane-who had extra classes-and Garnet-who was extremely busy with work-contact each other. Moreover, both of them seemed to wish to write about every detail of their lives.
Besides, Beatrix was very happy to see her Queen's face light up once in a while when a couple of letters mixed in the clossal amount of files.

Alexandria was considering to spend less focus on the queen and split part of her powers around that time. Garnet was exhausted from dealing with the competition between the nobles.
Beatrix and other servants around the Queen did not desire for Garnet-who was 18-to be in such trouble. Nonetheless, not only did Garnet not complain, she also confronted them sincerely.
Fortunately, there were many nobles who were willing to assist her, and the meetings commenced in a peaceful, friendly manner.
They said that they would do anything for the lovely, beautiful Queen.

-----And yes, because of that, a small problem rose above the surface.


* * *

Garnet examined the Noble Meeting Preparation in her office that was bright with sunlight.
An important official was waiting outside.
This situation continued for approximately an hour.
"Mr.Bart. You can sit and wait."
"No, it is fine."
"But, it is going to take some time. I am not even half finished yet."
The chubby, old official sat on the couch and wiped his sweat with a hankerchief.
It was a warm day of early spring, the fragrance of tulips were drifting in the air.
It was a quiet morning.

Temporarily after that, a knock with a joyful tempo made contact with the Office door.
The sevrants were not there in the moment. The official stood up and opened the door after receiving an reassuring glance from Garnet.
The young man was the noble who helped her with preparation almost every morning.
"Good morning, Your Majesty. It is such a wonderful day today."
"Well, yes it is isn't it?"
Exclaimed Garnet. Like she did not know that at all, she looked out the window.
"Good morning, Mr. Jader. Is your father doing well?"
"He did not change."
He answered with a twinkle in that friendly grey eyes.
His father Jader Senior retired due to illness. It was no more than a year ago that his son continued his work.
He was also the person who had the closest age with the Queen among the nobles.
.....Although they were 10 years apart.
Jader paced towards the Queen and sat down on a stool after the usual greetings.
"How is the preparation doing?"
"Yes. There is no problem at the moment."
Garnet smiled in reply.
"But the exports of this country should be more than usual. This cash is what I am concerned about."
Jader laughed.
....His way of laughing was similar to a certain thief character. Garnet liked him from the heart.
"Well you cannot really help it. The higher the noble is, the higher the inport is."
Garnet suddenly thought about someone saying that "When you get into the center of this world, you will find that it evolves around money."
And because of that, she learned that the world was not so ideal and dreamy.
"But, I am surprised that the Queen would use such words like "cash"."
Jader chuckled cheerfully for a while.

The preparation would be continued the next day. Garnet-tired-seeing the mails that Beatrix carried to her, grinned in delight with gleaming eyes.
"He is very devout to you, Your Majesty."
Watching Garnet opening the letters, happy like a child, Beatrix smiled.
"Well, I knew how devout he is since we started travelling together. He will definetely flirt with cute girls."
Garnet giggled, her expression was amused.
"But that habit should be eliminated now."
"We will see. I think that it won't be that easy."
Murmuring joyfully, Garnet began to read the letter and fell in silence.

Garnet was strange.
Her own lover was flirting with other women, why would she be so cheeful?
It was an eternal rhetorical question to Beatrix.

The letters which Zidane sent to her were always full of jokes, sometimes she did not even know if he was telling the truth. For example, "Old man Cid accidentally shaved one side of his beard, so now he is walking with two different faces."
or "There is one classmate that looks like Dr.Tot and he has those round glasses. He is a super history otaku."
Then, there was always a grumble that said "There is way too much homework."
Sometimes he would draw doodles on Eiko's letter, and occasionally there were some good luck feathers in the letter that came from the kids in Tantalus.
It must be fun to live in Lindblum. Thought Garnet.
If only she could abandon all the politics, laws and democratic problems and become a regular girl.
Nevertheless, that tenuous sadness was reality as well.
Garnet would do all the jobs as a Queen. She loved Alexandria.
Besides, if she was a normal girl, she would never meet him.
With that as a main reason, Garnet almost felt grattitude towards the fact that she was a queen.
They promised each other that they would write everything in their mind. Therefore Garnet once sent a letter about her small grief.
And his response was-
"If Dagger was a normal girl. You wouldn't have to deal with all those politics. Those problems that Mr.Alberta gave me was worse than hell."

Sunday, October 18, 2009

The Customer in the Guest Room Chapter 4

There is a sequel to this~
I'll publish the those ones later...right now me is tired....
And i need to finish my drawing :D
Feel free to ask me for my wonderful drawings lol
And i'll send it to you if you are willing to tell me your email
Mine are done in pencil and i'm not willing to do all the coloring work so it's not blog-publishing worthy..

Click for the original version

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Chapter 4

"....3 days?"
"Yeah, I only have 3 days. That old man doesn't have boundaries!"
"Wait, Zidane. Calm down."
Though Garnet pulled him down onto the seat, Zidane continued to blabber non-sense that would not connect together as a story in any conceivable way. He was in a panicking mode.
He went to propose for her, then why would this person become so incoherent? What did he mean by 3 days? Garnet's questions overwhelmed her due to Zidane's disoriented ranting.
"Zidane....explain this to me properly."
Garnet tugged Zidane's arm.
"First of all, he wouldn't let me marry you unless I go to university!"
"University?"
"Yeah, that old man Cid told me that. If I don't graduate he won't let me marry you."
"Uncle Cid?"
"Yeah."
Finally Zidane's rational thoughts seemed to be coming back to him. He was capable of telling the story in order now.
"And then, I'll be going from September. But before that I have a tutor to get me prepared, so I have to go back to Lindblum after 3 days or else I won't catch up!"
"3 days....."
"Moreover, once I go to Lindblum, I can't meet Dagger for 2 years until I graduate.....! I will never be able to endure that!!"
Eventually the story was set straight. Garnet sighed quietly.
Her brain had two complete contradictory sentences. "Uncle how can you be so mean." and "Oh why thank you so much uncle." flashed through her flash in turns.
Zidane was an ordinary Lindblum citizen, therefore an absolute rookie when it came to governing. If he suddenly married her and became the King, the knowledge he learned in the most famous Lindblum University would come in handy
eventually.
However, Garnet could not endure not seeing Zidane for two years.
"But....if Uncle Cid said so..."
"Dagger!!"
Zidane shouted as if it was the end of the world.
"Well compared to the 2 years you disappeared...at least this time I know that you are studying and doing well in university...so I might be able to make it."
Zidane fell in silence. What she said was so true that he could not deny it.
"Besides, I'll write you letters. Everyday."
"E-Everyday?"
"Yes, everyday. I'll put everything I did and everything in mind in that small envelope and send it to you."
"....Dagger."
Even though they were together everyday, it was not frequent for them to talk about what happened in that day.
But it was awfully tempting to Zidane that all of that could be achieved by a letter. Furthermore, whenever she was writing the letters, there would be no doubt that she would be thinking about him.
"I'll write letters too."
"Zidane should put studying as a priority."
"...I know."
"Come back after 2 years. I'll be waiting."
Garnet smiled softly like a blooming flower.
Zidane chiseled that beam into his brain. He was thinking, that this tip of mouth, would support him as an invisible force for 2 years.


* * *

"Are you really going to separate them for two years?"
Asked Helda in an astonished expression.
"No way! Why in the world would I do that?"
It was Cid's turn to be dismayed.
"How would Garnet be like if I treat her like that?! That 2 years was a lie."
"Hmmm...oh dear."
"But dating is prohibited until public vacation! You can tell Garnet, but keep it from Zidane."
Afterwards Cid closed one eye in a playful expression. That face was so eerie that made Helda laugh.

The Customer of the Guest Room Chapter 3

Click for the original version

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Chapter 3


He wanted to marry Garnet. It was not mistaken.
This feeling was nourished more and more during the half a year that he had lived there.
"Dagger."
Zidane uttered. Garnet was sitting across the table, writing a letter.
"Yes?"
"It's to Eiko, right? That letter."
"Yes."
Garnet, looking up and leered at Zidane.
"I'll bring it to her tomorrow."
"Eh?"
Zidane chuckled at her astonished expression.
"I have stuff to do over there."
"Oh, is that so."
Garnet was not skeptic about anything. Her eyes were like regarding him like she was watching him leave the town for fun.
And that look made Zidane feel distant.
He was going there in order to propose to her and yet he could not even tell her anything...!
"I'm going to Regent Cid's tomorrow."
"Uncle Cid? For a Tantalus business?"
"No."
Zidane stood up from the bed and walked towards Garnet.
The impulse to tell her was too strong. Those words rushed up to his throat. It could not be held back.
Perhaps because his movements were stiff due to nervousness, Garnet was surprised. She merely stared at Zidane in confusion.
"I'm going to get permission to marry you."
"Eh?"
The obesidian eyes bulged out of its frames. Garnet lost the ability to speak.
"I want you to, marry, me."
"Z-zidane?"
"I want you to be by my side. Forever."
Then, Zidane shut his eyes tight.
What kind of proposal is this?! This is so pathetic!!
Garnet stood up from the stool. Even after one minute, she did not say anything.
Anxiety began to spread. Zidane opened his eyes.

Could it be? Could it be that she..?!

However
It was not"could it be that she".
Garnet was crying. The tears flooded out one after another. When Zidane furrowed in confusion, Garnet wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.
"Ah, Zidane! Is it true?"
"Dagger...!"
Unable to bear it anymore, Zidane embraced her back.
"You really want to marry me?"
"Of course! Who else can I marry?"
"But...!"
Garnet smiled with sparkling liquid in her eyes.
"It's not a dream?"
"I'm serious. I already decided."
"I'm so happy...!!"
He never thought that she would be so ecstatic. So straight-forwardly.
She loved him too much that he was not expecting it. It was Zidane who felt like he was in a trance.

* * *

The next morning, the formal Lindblum Lieutenant uniform from Tot was delivered to the castle.
.........Come to think of it, the clothes was not clean.
Although Zidane retorted "I didn't ask him to do that!", but in the end he wore that to Lindblum.
Because Garnet laughed and said :"Hey, you look good in those."

"What..is with that attire?"
That was the first thing Cid said when he saw Zidane.
Even though Zidane wore formal clothing for important work sometimes, normally he would dress casual.
Zidane could not answer him. Because he was thinking "what is with that attire" as well.
"Wait, if you're dressed like that. Then that means..."
Remarked Cid thoughtfully while stroking his beard.
"You are saying that you want to marry Princess Garnet."
"......"
All his lines were taken by Cid. So Zidane became silent.
"Hm, is that so....What to do, then...?"
"Don't tease me, old man."
"If I don't tease you now when can I tease you? This is very interesting indeed."
Damn, like he was talking about something else...! Zidane clenched his fists.
"Oh, are you refusing it?"
Helda inquired, laughing.
"Huh....."
"Darling, what are you going to do?"
"H----m...."
Helda could not help but laugh.
Even though he knew that those two were only taunting him, Zidane looked at them, tensed.
"I will not, refuse it."
"......Heh?"
Zidane's eyes largened. This wasn't what I expected!
He was so troubled by imminent the duel, and now Cid was already agreeing?
"But, i have a condition."
Oh here it is.
"Alberta, get me that thing."
"Yes."
It was a sword, definetely a sword.
Zidane took out his daggers. He was waiting for this.
Nonetheless, Alberta did not have any sword.
"So he is still in time?"
"Yes, the new school year in September is going to start soon."
"You have good timings, Zidane."
Cid showed him a piece of white document.
"This is your application to Lindblum University."
"...What?"
"My condition is that I want you to get the diploma for Lindblum University. It's your choice."
"U-University?!?!"
It was true. The document clearly printed in fine ink "Matriculation of the recommended student by Regent Cid."
"I knew you would come to me for marraige sometime, so i prepared this a long time ago."
"But, but I never officially went to school or anything..."
As Zidane closed and opened his mouth several times, Alberta pushed it harder:
"No worries. I have arranged a tutor before the new school year."
Zidane went stiff without realizing it.
"The husband of the princess must have a level of education and manner. If you cannot accept this, you might as well give up this marriage."
Saying this up until this point, Zidane had no choice.
"And I'll say this first."
Cid dusted another pinch of salt on his wounds.
"You are considered as training in these 2 years until graduation. Therefore you are prohibited to see the princess."


-------It was not a mystery that the most miserable lament in the entire world was just heard above the Lindblum Castle.

The Customer in the Guest Room Chapter 2

Click for the original

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Chapter 2

In the afternoon, Garnet went back to work and Zidane went onto the streets. Ever since he returned to Alexandria, he loved going into Ruby's theatre.
Ruby dragged him into playing a minor role, and without him knowing she randomly decided the date of the play.
Undoubtedly, It was really boring for Zidane to do nothing. Therefore he approved. When Garnet heard him talking about it she merely answered "Sounds like fun." and nothing else. Simple yet plain.
"I thought she would protest..."
Zidane murmured. He had become famous after that "touching reunion" on stage. So Zidane thought that Garnet might be worried if anything hazardous would happen when he was acting.
"What in tarnation are ya talkin' about?"
Ruby examined his expression.
"Well....Dagger isn't paying much attention to me lately."
"Hmmm, really?"
Ruby seemed surprised.
"I feel like she's not interested in anything I'm doing."
"Are ya payin' attention' to anything the Queen is doin'?"
"Heh?"
Zidane's expression was complicated.
"So it's not only her."
"Ah..i get it."
"You men are so selfish."
Ruby, rolling up the script, tapped on the blonde head and yelled everyone in the theatre into rehearsing.

While mumbling "I'm thinking a lot too.", Zidane paced back into the castle.
Eating with the theatre members in the "Booth of stars" while sipping on alcohol became a part of Zidane's daily routine.
Garnet was gnawing on the late dinner when he finally reached the castle.
"Welcome back , Zidane. Dinner?"
"I already ate."
"Okay."
Garnet beamed.
"You should eat here sometimes. Ruby might get tired."
"She's cooking for other people anyways, it's okay."
"Maybe I should thank her by a present."
Why should Garnet be thanking Ruby for cooking for Zidane? When he contemplated about it, it was an peculiar action. It's like she was that......like...his...wife.
"What's wrong, Zidane? Your face is red."
"Wha?"
Zidane's head snapped up.
"Do you have a fever?"
Garnet furrowed her eyebrows.
"Huh? No No it's not like that."
Zidane shook his head.
"Um! I'll go..to my room now..!"
"Zidane?"
Garnet tilted her head at his hasty exit.

Yes, Zidane was thinking an awful a lot too. Especially recently.
The things he was considering....well, there were a lot of stupid stuff.
If you think about it closely, Zidane and Garnet were currently "living under the same roof". Although there were many other people in the castle.
Anyways, if he desired to, he could see her anytime. Whether it was in the morning, noon or night.
Zidane was happy enough to dance around when the other people allowed him to live here. Living with Garnet was like a dream. He could almost call it a miracle because even Steiner said yes.
And after half a year, It was not sole joy anymore.
Zidane was thinking a lot.

"Dr.Tot? Can I talk to you?"
In the library, Zidane called out. But Tot did not even move an inch, he was still reading the book.
"Dr.Tot!"
Tot finally looked up.
"Oh! Mr.Zidane! Fancy to see you here. It might snow tomorrow."
"..........I need to talk to you."
Zidane gruffly mumbled an explanation. Library and Zidane did not have a close bond, perhaps.
"Oh, what is it then?"
"Um, y'know how Alexandria has all kinds of traditions?"
Tot narrowed his eyes under the speticles and stared at Zidane.
"Yes, this is an old country."
"So um, i'm just giving an example, are there any traditions when it comes to marriage?"
"Ho~"
Tot's orbs became interested.
"Would you like to know?"
"Yeah."
Zidane nodded. His eyes were sombre.
"First, the tradition before marriage...I think you already know that."
"I heard."
And he protected that tradition. Protecting it was an extremely difficult task for him. However when Steiner used the most terrifying threat, he protected the rules sincerely.
Steiner said "If you break this rule, the Queen would never be able to marry again." Apparently in Alexandria, you cannot hold any ceremony for a woman who lost her virginity. She would not receive God's blessings.
Because it was so ridiculous and out of date, Zidane protested when he first heard it. He told Steiner that he could not promise that..well, yelled. Nonetheless, Steiner answered with the never being able to marry speech.
"I think you know, but it is a job for the royalty to protect to holy traditions."
Zidane nodded, perplexed.
"So first, if you wish to marry a royalty."
Tot coughed formally.
"You need a parental consent, from the father. You have to ask for the father's permission before asking the bride herself."
"Huh?"
Zidane's expression turned fretful immediately.
"W-what if the father is dead?"
Though Tot chuckled, Zidane was so deadly serious he did not even notice that.
"Then you need to ask the closet male relative. Preferably an elder."
"Closest male relative..."
"For Queen Garnet, it would be Regent Cid."
"Oh."
Zidane was nodding in realization until a thought hit him.
His expression was contorted between embarassment and streghlessness.
"So you noticed..?"
"You finally decided to marry her, correct?"
"Um, er....yeah."
Zidane scratched the back of his head.
"I never told Dagger though."
"No need to worry, Queen Garnet will say yes in no time."
"I really hope so..."
Zidane, scratching his head, grinned shyly.
"Okay, let's continue."
Tot began to talk after a thoughtful beam.
"Although this time it is for Regent Cid to decide, but it cannot be done so easily."
"....Why?"
"It is also a rule."
Zidane's face was anxious.
"The future groom and the parent, has to have a duel."
"A...A duel?!?"
"Yes, if the groom wins, the marriage is approved. If the parent wins, no deal."
"Why!!!!"
Zidane hollered in frustration.
"Because it is a chivarous country. Maybe men were learning to joust since wee is for this."
Although it is an old tale. Tot whispered in amusement.
"When the groom wins, he would have the permission to ask the bride. And then in detail.."
"It's okay I get the picture."
Zidane stopped Tot from talking furthermore.
"Everyone will know when i go to see Regent Cid anyways....and then they will just assume that there will be some sort of "ceremony" right?"
"Well, yes."
Zidane sighed heavily. He hated complicated things. But he wanted to marry Garnet.
"I wish for your happiness."
Tot descended his head in a hint of joke. Zidane's face was tormented.

The Customer of the Guest Room (CP:Zidane&Garnet)

Back in the translating business! :D
My original is gonna take some time......so be patient...i haven't given up on my Checkmate story yet :3

Click to see the original version!!
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The guest room in the Alexandria Castle was inconceivably full of people.
There were many messengers and nobles who came from other countries/continents who needed some rest, therefore there were a large amount of guest rooms available in the castle.
The higher the floor was, the more luxurious the room was.
Moreover, it seemed like the cleaning maids on each floor were different too.
So nobody ever used the guest rooms that were placed on the bottom of the castle.
All the guests would be agitated if they were assigned to the bottom of the floor.
Protecting the traditions of making the guests welcoming, Queen Garnet never led anyone use that room.
Yes. Except for that very person.

The Customer of the Guest Room


Chapter 1

Garnet sauntered casually on the bottom floor.
Due to the sudden cancel of the work she was supposed to do until noon, she abruptly got a break.
Even though it was a floor that nobody practically used, that floor was extremely beautiful. No one ever blew out the lights or not tidy the room.
Humming quietly, Garnet stepped down the hallway looking like as if she was twirling.
She entered the room without either knocking or trying to be polite.
The door-like always-was not locked.

When Garnet gazed into the room, there was such tranquility in the air,as if no one was in there.
Garnet tip toed towards the bed.
The young man who she had longed to see, was there sleeping.
He was in such a deep sleep that there was no movement, at all.
He was always sleeping like that.
Just recently, Garnet was pondering if he was dead. The anxiety most likely grew bigger that she almost went to check if he was breathing.
She never realized his style of sleeping during the time they were travelling.
Perhaps because she was having a hard time herself.
Her memories of him sleeping all had an image of him were curling up like a cat napping with his back towards her. He was always lying in the corner of the tent, sleeping with his back towards everyone.
But it was not merely him who was sleeping in that position.
Amarant and Freya, those who were always fighting alone were slept like that as well.
So, she was certain.
He must be lonely too.

In the fresh morning of summer, sunlight draped all over the room through that enormous window.
Beaming, Garnet sat down on the side of the bed.

The reason why she was afraid that he was dead was not only because of his sleeping position.
Even when he returned to her unscratched, the uneasiness that resided in the corner of her heart could not be eliminated that effortlessly.
Therefore, sometimes the fear would overwhelm her, making her worry like crazy.
And everytime, he embraced her without a word.
------Until the darkness in her heart melts away.

She felt joy towards his incredible warmth.
Because he would always let her feel that it was not a dream but reality.

Zidane-body half covered by the blanket-was sleeping, making rhythmic breathing sounds.
This person had impressive sleeping habits.
Because the habit was so strong, nobody would even come and make an effort trying to wake him up anymore.
In the past, all the maid who managed this floor-they were all Garnet's age-had tried to wake him up for breakfast, house cleaning and such.
However, it was only the Queen who would enter without any consent.
So when she had time, she would come and wake him. If she did not, he could sleep past noon.
"Zidane."
Garnet called on him softly.
There was no possible way that he could wake up with this.
.....He must be having a good dream. The corner of his mouth was tipped upwards.
"Hey, Zidane."
Although his eyes shook a little bit.
He soon began to sleep again.
Garnet, using her thumb and fore-finger, pinched his nose.
"Zi-Da-Ne!! I said wake up!!"
"WHAT THE WHA??!?!?"
The fur on his tail literally stood up. Zidane leaped out of bed. His expression of desparately trying to figure out the situation with a drowsy head was so funny that Garnet chuckled.
"Hy Ish Hahet Hea?"
"What?"
Garnet released the fingers-which were still pinching on his nose.
"I was asking where are you here."
"Oh, I can't be here?"
When she asked sadly, Zidane immediately kicked the blanket out of his way.
"I didn't say that!"
His overreaction amused her.
"Why don't you go wash up first? Look at your hair, it's all messy."
Zidane, just realizing what she meant, got out of bed.
After washing up, combing his hair and changing his clothes, Zidane sat on the table which Garnet was now sitting on.
"Don't you have jobs?"
"I have a break until noon."
As soon as she finished the sentence, she saw a gleam of flashing light going through Zidane's eyes. It made her want to tease him.
"So, I can watch you when you're eating and drinking, I can watch you when you're tidying your bed, and I can watch you flirt with cute maids."
"......That last one is not necessary."
Zidane began to eat the toast and eggs he just carried on the tray; Garnet was drinking black tea sitting across the table, and the two started chatting.
Eiko's life in Lindblum. Steiner and Beatrix's wedding. And something about Fratley and Freya.
"Do you know how Amarant is doing?"
"I heard that he is living in Treno, I don't know anything else."
Garnet replied casually.
Amarant had no habit of writing letters. So all the information they knew were coming from other people.
"But if anything happens in Treno I would get a message at once. So no news means that he is doing well."
"Yeah."
Zidane grinned brightly. Actually, if a letter did come from Amarant, everybody would be wondering what the heck was wrong with him.
"Is everyone in Tantalus doing well?"
"I'm not sure. According to Ruby nothing is happening."
"Ruby is still here?"
"Seems like it."
Whenever her theatre had work to do, Ruby would stay in Alexandria for a long period of time. This time it was already 3 months.
"Well, they're kinda like....a step away from FAMILY."
Garnet smiled at his complaint and emphasis. She knew right away who he was talking about.
"A letter came from Mikoto."
Garnet took out an envelope from her pocket.
"She never writes to me."
Zidane pumped his cheeks with air.
"She says that Vivi's children were all exuberant. And that her store was prosperous."
"H---m."
Repeatedly poking the tomato in the salad with his spoon, Zidane replied.
"Zidane, it's not a good manner to play with your food."
"It's fine, you are the only one who's here."
Zidane took the seeds out and put the rest in his mouth.
"No picking."
When Garnet accused him with a look, Zidane clicked his tongue and ate the seeds he picked out.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Zidane Tribal (CP:Zidane & Dagger)

Hey everyone! I am back!
Sorry I haven't been able to post much lately....
Er...a lot had happened so...
Now here is my new translation~
Here is the original if you'd like to check it out
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1)

It was not like I was not satisfied with my current life.
In an prodigious city like Lindblum, I could meet tons of cute girls just by strolling on the street. Besides living with friends was not a misery either.
But sometimes....especially when I was alone.
I could be overwhelmed by the imperceptible anxiety everytime I wonder who I am.

Why is that...?
I don't know myself.


Even when surrounded by comrades, he was an outsider.

He realized that when he noticed the tail coming from his thighs.
Though the world was a big place, Zidane never met anybody who possessed the same tail as him.

....Even in an prodigious city, like Lindblum.


"'Cuz isn't it weird not knowing where you came from? It's better to take action instead of thinking about it."
Zidane Tribal answered when she asked him his reason.

He never conveyed the darkness deep inside his heart; the darkness underneath that bright and cheerful cover.
Concealing things such as that he was really afraid.
Such as that he could be annihilated by the unknown if he does not take any action.
--Such as thinking that, somewhere in this planet, there might be a family that he alwayed sought for.

He would not let any one get close to that darkness.

"Isn't Lindblum your hometown? Don't you think it's bad for those who raised you?"

"Hmmmm~Maybe it's not good sneaking out on my own, but they'll understand. They know how awful it is to not take actions when your mind is set."
"Not that I don't understand..."
"Enough about me, Freya. Shouldn't you go back to your city? You forced the King to let you out."

He was not able to say "I don't want to talk about this."
In order to avoid the topic, Zidane interfered the conversation by asking an unrelated question.

"It's okay...I have to find him..I got out of Burmecia to see if he is well...I have to see Sir Fratley..."
Freya fell in silence after pausing for a while.

Fratley.

The strongest Dragon Knight known, with the same authority as Freya.
Although he and Freya were lovers, he vanished after exiting the country saying "I'm gonna be back 1 year later."

One year passed uncountable times.

"How sinful it is to let a girl waiting for him! I'll find him and beat him up!"

He grinned, yelling.
Freya also chuckled at the naive yet comforting smile.

"Oh, we're almost there! Don't pull on my leg."
"You should be more careful to not get caught by the Pluto Army."
"I don't care whatever this Pluto or Ptolu Team is, Lord Zidane is not that easy to defeat!"


"Oooh! Alexandria is sooo much like Lindblum! Cute girl and ladies are every-"
"You...why did you come to Alexandria?!"

"I know i know~It's fine! It's been a long time since the last time I came here."

It was not the first time that he visited Alexandria.
In order to gather information, it was only natural to go to a enormous cities.

"It's such a drag that you love girls so much, you would be killed by one of them."
"Ugh!!! Just leave me a.....lone?"

Right in the middle of the big plaza on the street, Zidane froze.
Just as he took a glimpse at the sight of a glowing white light.

The moment he caught that white robed attire in the corner of his eyes, he could not remove it from his brain anymore.

Why was that, even though the surrounding world was gradually fading away, the whiteness was still particularly distinct?

The girl hid her face in the white robe which was adored by white mages
She was examining the flowers with a delightful, but anxious expression.

"What's wrong, Zidane?"

Following his eyes, Freya noticed the person that was straight ahead.

"Hm, she's a beauty. Seems like she's in the same age as you.....hey Zidane?!"

Zidane delirously began to pace.

(2)

"God, you're such a drag...I'm leaving you behind!"
Freya's voice was already inaudible to him.

The girl, talking to the saleswoman, started to pick out flowers.

(She's buying a lot.)

The flowers were already pouring out from her hands.

The girl furrowed her eyebrows occasionally, deciding what to buy.
Whenever he thought that she was troubled, she smiled beautilfully and takes out flowers once more.

(....So cute)

Zidane, standing at an angle where he could see her appearance, was intrigued by her constantly-changing expressions.

"Hey, Zidane, let's play a card game!"

Though the kids who he knew before pleaded and grabbed on his gloves, there was no way that he could accompany them now.

Gently placing his focus ahead a bit, he found a small ring of flower which seemed to belong to the girl.

A tiny, tiny accessorizing flower.

Picking it up, Zidane walked toward her with a final determination.

Carry his feet one step, then another.
The heart beat was unreasonably.



"....Here."

Talking to girls was supposed to be as easy as his daily routine.
It was probably the first time in his life, that he felt so terribly nervous by merely speaking with her.

Recognizing the flower he held out, the girl swayed her eyes from Zidane to the flower then back several times.

Then, finally realizing what he meant.

"Thank you!"

Towards the tender, dazzling smile that was not less blinding than all those flowers, Zidane instantly felt dizzy like someone just tackled him deep into the center of the Earth.

Taking the flower from Zidane's hand, re-pinning it onto her robe, she bowed with gratitude.
Zidane, who felt like he was drifting, was not able to say anything.

However the next moment, he was abruptly tugged back into reality by the furious bellow.

"WHO IS THAT?!?!"

A large-volumed man with a menacing expression, ran towards them.

"Huh?"
"Ah! Steiner! Um, my apologies! Please excuse me!"
"What? Ah, wait..."

Although he wanted to make her stay, she quickly greeted Zidane after bowing to the saleswoman, and dashed to the fat man.

The girl was explaining something to the man.
The heavy armor that wrapped around his entire body russtled as he shouted:
"This is such an disgrace to you! I must not forgive him!"

"That old man's gonna be SO hot during the summer....."
The girl beside the man was smiling leniently.

"HEY HEY ZIIIIIDDDDAAANNNEEE!!!!CCCCAAARRRDDDDD GGGAAAAMMMMEEE!!!!!"
The kid was stomping his feet on the ground, whining.

"Ah okay i get it! Just be quiet for a second! I'll play with you later!"


Perhaps it was a mistake to shift his focus on the kid.

"Princess! Please return to the castle."
"!!!?? Did he just say Princess??"

When he snapped his head back, the figure of those two people disappeared.
The clangs of the armor gradually faded away.



"Hey, who was that girl just now?"
The saleswoman met Zidane's eyes and looked away with guilt and began to rearrange her flowers.

"Um, wh-who knows..?"
"C'mon~Just tell me! Didn't she just talk to you?"
"I-i don't know who she is? She's just saying that Queen Brahne-no no her mother is unhappy these days.."

The salewoman who was peculiarly panicing.

"And...um...um..she is picking up the flowers she ordered earlier! That's just it! That was a first-time customer, and i'm sure she wouldn't come back! yes!"

......She could have acted more ordinarily to fool him.
Zidane automatically descended his head.

Zidane did not know that a few months ago, the girl came to this booth and the entire city went chaotic.

But he could imagine the situation from the saleswoman's expression just now.
She was asked to keep silence.

That girl was the Princess of Alexandria.....

Zidane, becoming a bit sorrowful, sighed lightly.

Flowers.....Oh Baku likes flowers,right?

Even though his boss had a face like that.
Zidane snickered at the picture.

"I should go back..."

When i decided to go home, I headed for the gate of Alexandria, and separated from Freya.

It was a disaster~~~
Baku beat me up so hard, it hurt real bad..


But then, he was embraced.


(3)

It was not only a physical pain, but as well as heartahce.

I finally realized that, I've come back to the place I belonged to.



"Um, can you please let me pass..?"
Inside Alexandria Castle.
I am now in this castle. The castle which i was only able to watch from far before.

In order see the Princess again.


"Just a sec. Haven't we met before?"

----To see you, with same white robe as before.

"...? No, I do not know you...."

----To see you, with the same angelic voice as last time.

"Maybe you're right.... I'd never let someone as pretty as you get away."

-----To see you, (I assume)with the same smile as before. Although you expression is kind of confused and clouded right now.

"I..I must go!"
"Get up Blank! That was Princess Garnet!!"

No way I could let you go.
No way I could ever forget.


We Tantalus
Had come to kidnap you!!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

About parents

Have you realized that most of the songs in this modern world are mostly all about love, friendship and god? There are not a lot about any love between blood relations and grattitude towards them. There are barely any songs about our mother, father and others. I am now writing one "article" about them in this blod. And I might even draw one about a mother and child.
I myself, am still a teenager. And as all the teenagers think, I also think my parents are caring too much, nagging too much and sometimes maybe a bit paranoid. We tend to think that parents are on the bottom of our caring list. We tend to think that friendship and our boyfriend or girlfriend are way more important than our parents. Because we have less connections with them, they are older, they are grown-ups, they don't understand why we do what we do. And maybe it is true.
But it is not always so. I just realized the imporance of our parents very very deeply in my soul. I cannot live without them, I would not be myself without them, I don't know what would I do without them. It might sound really cheesy, but that is how I feel right now. And I will be extremely happy to hear you to say it too.
First of all, our parents give us lives. Without them we will not exist. The fact that they would even agree to go through great pain to have us should deserve a huge hug of gratitude. It sounds dumb, no? Nonetheless it is true.
Second of all, they love you unconditionally. They would do anything for you, they would sacrifice their lives in order to keep you alive. They would love you no matter what. Maybe it is because of that you might subconsciously start to think that it is a definete thing for them to love you so you cherish your boyfriend/girlfriend/friends more because they are the ones who always go away.
Our parents are always mad at us because they love us. They nag us because they don't want us to get hurt. They don't understand our actions......well because they are grown-ups....you can't really help it the time is changing eventually you are going to get old and not understand your kids....
Anyway...personally speaking...I love my mommy. And sometimes I cry just thinking about her being not there for me. And they might be over-protective and my daddy yells at me without me trying to provoke him in any way but......the truth is...you need to start cherishing them. Because they are not going to be there one day.
I love my parents....not that I don't get mad at them.....but that doesn't mean I don't love them.
I love you mommy. I love you daddy. :D

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Same sky

Well...I'm feeling poetic at the moment. :)
Mostly because I read this book...it has a really light writing style, as if everything is just light and shallow but deep and beautiful. I have always liked that kind of writing...despite that I also like advantures and fantasy.
SO the topic, as you can see, is "sky".
Yes, this thing doesn't have any meaning, and it doesn't need a meaning.
I'm just writing whatever I felt like writing. :D
This is short, I'm not going to continue it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sky has all kinds of definitions.
Sky is blue.
Sky is grey.
Sky has cloud.
Sky is the mixture of the Earth's atmosphere and Ozone layer.
No matter how you explain it, one thing does not change.
We all share the same sky.

* * *
2009, Fall, Tokyo, Shibuya, 8:00pm
Nako Rikuyama looked out the window.
She had lived in this city for almost all of her life.
The new job was easier than she thought.
Moving out of her home seemed to be a mistake after all.
She was living in a small apartment with 3 rooms, with a big glass window like those ones in a luxury hotel. She had placed her bed right beside it. She liked the soft yet cool breeze brush through her cheek when she was sleeping.
The room was clean.
In this big city, cars and buses and people's chatter buzzed into her brain.
She closed the window, hoping for some peace and quiet.
Slowly she sauntered in front of her computer, and began to browse the internet.
From news to fashion, from fashion to news. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Like a mechanical robot, she scanned throught the pages. A scent of tedium rose in the air.
Her cellphone vibrated quietly on the desk.
Nako smiled.
It was a call from her boyfriend.
She missed him.
Her boyfriend was a very enthusiatic person. He liked to grin towards her, showing his pearl like teeth completely and ended up looking like a idiot in the middle of the street.
But to her, everytime he smiles, it was like those warm and fuzzy sun coming out during the coldest days of winter, implying that spring would come soon.
Nako pressed the button:"..Hello?" The fondness and longing within her voice was now pouring out with no return.
She heard her boyfriend's laugh. "Hi." He replied. Nako knew his obsidian eyes were lingering. She suddenly missed his hugs. "Missed me?" Said the young man teasingly. But before she could answer, he laughed out another sentence:"Of course you did."
"You haven't changed at all. Looks like that mandatory boot camp did you no good." Thinking of something to retort, Nako accused.
"But you didn't want me to change, did you? Na-na?" Na-na was a nickname that he picked for her ever since they started to become friends.
Nako sighed.
"...Hey, are you free?" Inquired the young man, abruptly placid.
"Yes." Knowing what he was going to ask, the girl inhaled and responded with a whisper. As if a promise that she desired for a long time.
"I know it's noisy and I really need a rest." He paused for a while. "But I really miss you, Nako. Can you come? Please?"
"Yes." She repeated. "See you there."
She did not need to know when or where. She already knew.
Exchanging a goodbye, Nako hung up.
The quiet tenderness gradually filled her heart.
She walked towards the glass window,
And looked up.
The stars were sparkling like thousands of diamonds on the night sky.
Tonight was going to be great.

* * *

2000, Winter, England, Oxford, 7:00am.
It was snowing.
Elena Worktilt opened her eyes.
The surrounding was not like the home she recognized at all. There were a ton of tubes taped to every part of her body; the stinging scent of medicines; the whiteness.
Everything was so quiet.
She was in the hospital.
Elena had tried to move, but the moment she did that the sharp and ferocious beast called pain gnawed on her brain. She wobbled,laying back down.
She had lost everything. Her mother, her father, her dolls, her toys.
The 7 year old girl's eyes were frightfully void.
The window was tainted with thick frost. She knew the snow was falling down.
She loved snow.
Not anymore.
She could still hear the that deafening screech of tires when the car lost control. Her scrawny body flew against the pole.
Her parent's joyful smiles ceased in that second.
Crimson liquid splattered all over the snow. Slowly it bloomed bigger and bigger.
In the girl's view, the world turned from impeccable to sinful. From dreamy tenuous to maliciously distinct.
She yanked off all the tubes and needles from her body. Skin got ripped off. She didn't care. It didn't hurt.
Elena lurched to the door, wearing only a white hospital skirt.
Mommy, I miss you.
Daddy, I love you.
Where did you go? I want to see you.
Mommy, smile to me. Daddy, hug me.
Elena will never yell again. Elena will be a good girl. Elena will do well in school. Elena will never beg for toys.
Mommy, Daddy.......Come back.
Come back.
The little girl knelt down on the pile of snow.
All the other patients examined her curiously.
Neglecting everything, the girl looked up.
The snow flakes fell on her cheeks like feathers.
The sky was frozen with blobs of condensed clouds.
Monochrome.
Elena's face contorted with misery.
She screamed, water flooded out onto her cheek.
But the world was still silent.
She was not able to hear anymore.

* * *

2007, Spring, America, Ariton, 12:00pm.
Ethan Jackdorm was very excited.
Today was the day that he and his best friend sneak out of school to go to the beautiful lake they just discovered in the middle of the forest. It was a great hang out place; they would have so much fun playing in the water.
Sitting in the classroom, Ethan tapped the dest impatiently and glanced at his best friend-who was sitting on the other side of the classroom. His best friend had a very healthy figure. He winked as their eyes met.
It was almost lunch, they would go out at that time and not go to the afternoon classes. They were in Grade 8, the teachers were loose on them since it was they were going to graduate from middle school soon.
Plus, this city was too small anyways.
Finally the bell rang. The two guys bolted out of the school immediately. They deliberately ate a lot of breakfast so that they would not be too hungry.
The lake was beautiful. The air was fresh and the color was very very bright. The surface of the water glimmered delightfully.
They sat side by side on the edge of the lake.
"Hey we should skip more." His best friend grinned.
"Ya how bad a grade do you wanna get?" Ethan rolled his eyes. "I thought you are going to New York or something and meet pretty girls."
Best friend laughed:"Hey I ain't gonna leave if you don't go with me man. We're going together."
"I don't wanna fail my grade like you don't want to stop flirting to girls, idiot."
The next minute he realized that he was wet. When he rose up to the surface he saw his best friend laughing at his flustered and confused expression.
Ethan looked like he was those people who would wonder around on the street during midnight looking for a person to kill.
His best friend offered a hand to him, helping him up.
Bad choice.
The diabolical arc on the side of Ethan's mouth when he grabbed the hand made him realize that.
As he expected, Ethan pulled him down. Water rushed into his best friend's mouth, eventually he gulped down 10 litres of lake water before he finally poped his head out from the liquid.
Ethan chuckled at his best friend's expression. He bet that he looked like that when he was pushed down as well.
They stared at each other for a while.
Then, laughter resonated in the forest.
Sunlight shone on them.
Ethan gazed at the sky when he lay backwards and started to float.
It was imperceptibly blue.
He beamed.

* * *

2006, Summer, Italy, Turin, midnight.
Alessandro Pisano coughed painfully in the Nursing Home.
His arms were tired pushing the wheel chair. So he rested under the roof outside.
Water was drizzling down.
He slowly opened a small album in his pocket with tremoring, wrinkled hands.
Alessandro's finger stroked one picture after another.
Some of them were black and white, some of them were brushed yellow by time, some of them still looked new and colorful.
Those were the photos of his greatest memories.
The day he learned how to ride a bike.
The day he graduated from elementary school.
The day he went to prom with the girl of his dreams.
The day he went to university.
The day he began to work.
The day he got married....
Seeing himself in the pictures, his eyes narrowed happily.
The preservations of his life.
His family all smiled happily in the pictures.
And his wife stareing lovingly at him when he wasn't looking.
The funerals of his parents.
Sad moments, happy moments, angry moments.
All of a sudden, he missed his family.
But he knew that they were all doing well.
His wife had just passed away one week ago.
He could not forget the last words. She took his hand, beaming with glinting liquid on her eyelashes-age did not blanch away her beauty. And there she whispered:"I'll be waiting."
The kids did not need him to live anymore. They had grown up to be wonderful, independent adults.
It was their generation now.
Alessandro moaned. He felt sleepy.
It was time for him to go.
He leaned his head against the back of the wheelchair, enjoying the sky from this body for the last time.
Rain fell upon his hand.
It was pretty.
Feeling relieved, the old man closed his eyes peacefully.

* * *
Different people, different time, different places, different emotions.
But the sky stays the same.
It hovers over us, witnessing everything, and not say a word.
We all live under the same sky.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Trying very hard to draw well but failed..

Recently I have been drawing a lot.
Of course what I drew was mostly Zidane and Garnet and Zidane and then Zidane again...
But I enjoy drawing originals too
It's like writing..just that you need to have good control of your hand.
I have to admit it is kind of fun.
I can't draw anything "realistic" though....it's like manga..
Digress!
Anyway, I just started to learn to draw on computer 3 days ago.
The first time man!!! I didn't know anything about photoshop, drawing or coloring in computer, blah blah blah.
And I finished this original draw that I'd like to put up on this blog.
Read my stuff is such an eyesore...big blobs of texts, right?
So why not take a breat and look at this?

This is what I did.
First I did a draft in pencil on paper with my hand.
I scanned it onto my computer and then put it on photoshop to trace the basic out lines of the picture.
Then I color it and add shadows.
And in photoshop I added stars and effects.
Of course in the beginning I didn't know what the heck was I doing.
I did a LOT of reading, okay? My head kept spinning on the first day i read all of it and I was like :"Oh my god this is hopeless I'm never gonna get this done."
But when you're doing it it is fun^^

This is the pencil draft:


My scanner is crappy so it looked like that...
And somehow it was side ways...

This is the traced version, with no color, only outlines:



I know it looks empty....but it makes it WAY more easier to color.

The completed version:




Looks pretty good, huh? :D
My first completed work ever..
I know I am nothing compared to all those brilliant artists..but I'll work hard.
The most important thing is to have fun!
Of course that does not mean I would give up writing, it is a type of "art" too. And any type of "art" is fun to me.
It is a great way to kill time during summer vacation when you are in a situation like I am in right now-bored to death.
Why not try it?

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Checkmate(Original) Chapter 3(In progress)

Something was happening to Novus.
And it was obvious that everybody who saw him knew that too.
His blood was dancing in his arteries, hitting repeatedly from the inside of his neck and wrist. His heart was faster than any mortal speed. His muscles rippled, tensing. The rush of adrenaline overwhelmed his entire body. Something was slowing gnawing his consciousness; he fought back mentally.
Every cell of his body was tingling beneath his skin, as if making an attempt to get out.
The boy coughed in misery. This was killin him.
It was a huge spillage of energy. Except that it was blue and glowing.
Novus groaned and struggled to turn his head in order to look over his back.
She was not there.

* * *

Just about 10 minutes ago. Everything was normal.
The guards came back, and they were coming to the guest that was across from the Treasure Chest.
The girl on his back seemed to have no clue what was going on.
[Okay, give up you vulture!]
Something above his head vaguely buzzed the words. Novus snapped his head up, noticing a big announcer sticking tightly to the concrete wall. The girl furrowed at the spiteful sounds.
Novus could hear the footsteps getting louder and louder. He must've left some kind of flaw when he was going along with the plan.
There was no point trying to escape now; he could never be able to jump of a building unless he was on the first floor. And guess what floor he was in?
The 4th. The life risking fourth floor.
The blond boy flexed his legs.
He had got a plan.
The guards-different ones, busted the locked door in one kick.
These people were even more menacing than the ones Novus dealt had with. The major difference was that they looked keen. Their eyes were glimmering signs of sophistication and wisdom along with glimpses of irritation and annoyance towards the teenage boy.
"Hands up!" One of them shouted loudly. When Novus led out a "hmph" in his nose that guard repeated the same thing-this time with more force. "I said hands up!"
"I would." Replied Novus, eyes somehow lingering. He looked awfully calm and indifferent despite that his mind was racing so much that there was not enough blood to support the brain. "But as you can see, I'm carrying a person. I suppose you can see that."
The hint of amusement made the guards more alert. This was not an ordinary boy, they were certain of it. He was able to sneak into the facility and disguised himself as a guard without being noticed in anyway until the headmaster heard the scream of pain from the naked guard in the storage room.
The guards looked at one another, then glowered at the teenage boy. "So you will not surrender?" The leader of the team inquired. His voice was thunderous.
Novus smiled. "Ask me again later."
Just as the security team were about to jump over the small body like they were playing a brutal football game, Novus quickly took out the other smoke bomb and thrashed it onto the ground.
It exploded immediately due to the impact with the ground and blew away a couple of the guards.
This bomb could be harmful if it gets stimulation such as impact and water. It was supposed to be failure because Faw was supposed to create the bomb to be non-harmful.
But Novus, at this moment, could not show more gratittude towards Faw's tiny pieces of shame.
During the time of the black smoke, Novus tightened his grip around the girl's ankles and bolted out of the room by stepping on one of the collapsed guards' chest. Of course, as macho as that man, he could not help but cough and choke in agony as the weight of two people applied pressure on his lungs.
One thing that Novus was fairly proud of himself was his speed. He could outrun all of his friends in the Scarecrow, therefore making him number one at escaping on foot. Moreover, he had a light body. He was able to make his movements imperceptible. And that was why Boss chose him on this mission.
The girl on resting on his back seemed to be entirely insouciant about her surroundings. Novus was beginning to be uneasy. It was like she had no emotions whatsoever, glazed, bleak. "Hey...er..are you okay?" Turning his head towards the gorgeous girl, Novus asked between breaths. She was unbelieveably light for some reason, sometimes he even wondered she was there. He swore that he would not notice if she just fell off from his back.
The girl regarded the boy with innocent eyes.
Eyes that had no pupil. Eyes that glint due to absolutely nothing.
Eyes, that had minute pure white snowflakes floating at the edge.
"!!!" Novus cringed on the image he saw. His left foot accidentally tangled with his right. He almost fell flat on his face along with the innocent victim on his back. Vacillating, he leered at the girl's orbs once more. Although he predicted the outcome, he still gulped instinctly in apprehension the second time he saw it.
He could not be wrong. It matched the description that was given to him.
Azul, Novus's mouth shaped into the word inaudibly. It was identical. Her eyes. "Wow," he said, trying to dodge the appalled emotions. "That aught'a put a damper on things." The forced easy-going laughter turned into something awkward. Novus's voice became shaky. He needed time to adjust himself in order to fight because they were not officially rid of the dangerous situation. It was impossible for gems to turn into humans, he analyzed. However, if the gem was from a meteorite-from outer space, it was not unlikely to happen.
Novus set her down when they turned into a inconspicuous corner. He scrutinized the mystic girl carefully, and eventually touched her face. She was real. He could truly feel it, although amazed. "Tell me." The young thief said in a solemn tone, his emerald green eyes glinted in uncertainty. "Are you Azul..?"
As if his inquiry were transmitted into her heart through his hand on her face, girl looked away from him. She was clearly very perplexed with the situation.
"I see." Novus murmured, smiling kindly at the girl. "You must be scared." He stood up and took out the dagger from his sheath:"Don't worry. I won't let you fall into those guys' hands." He tried to flash a comforting smile towards her direction, but his confidence was not limited. He knew that he could not get out of this situation without seeking certain help from his comrades. This was too far beyond a mission for him to decide what was supposed to be done. Without futher ado, Novus dodged the pants he borrowed from the security guards and quickly pulled out his walkie-talkie; he felt so much lighter without the weight of 13 walkie-talkies.
"Chief! Can you hear me, Chief?"
Bad luck came at the worst time possible, cussed Novus in frustration. All he received was static, so his message probably did not get delivered to the airship properly. Those people must had done something to scramble up the signal. "Damn, I guess we'd have to run." He turned to the girl and said.
"You're not going anywhere!!" A familiar voice roared angrily in the air. The plump boss and the skinny wannabe showed up along with the team of keen security guards, closing the two people into a deadend. "How did you get the girl out??!" Inquired the fat boss.
Novus sighed in his stupidity. He still did not figure it out? "Starthas, sir! Reporting for duty, sir!!" He imitated the character he used for disguise and smiled mischieviously as soon as the boss recognized his identity. "I'm not bad an actor, eh? Of course, I used to work in the theatre." His smile went closer to his ear when the boss' face began to turn blue.