CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY IN JAPANESE!!
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Her voice echoed.
She did not sing in a large volume.
The song that she sang was merely for one person.
But in the quiet garden, that voice seem to resonate to somewhere far far away.
Inside the Woods
~one peaceful day..~
With the russtles of the wind and the chirpings of the birds playing as the background music, the voice rang.
The transparent voice.
There was still a slim sign of youth.
While the ears were filled with the clear singing voice that sounded like it came from heaven, the young man twitched his face gently.
The enormous tree above his head shrouded him from direct sunlight.
The blong hair danced in the hair and landed on his face.
And those hair were brushed away from his face by a tender hand.
As if enjoying this, he buried his head into the pillow.
A complaint entered his ears as soon as the song stopped.
"Hey, Zidane!"
Opening the eyes which were closed until now, Zidane gazed straight forward without moving.
From the snow white face that was colored by the black hair, those tea colored irises stared at him.
The face was a little pink from embarassment, and her face contracted from pouting.
Watching her, Zidane honestly thought she was "cute" and regarded her back.
"What's wrong, Dagger?"
In reaction of Zidane's smile, Dagger pumped her face with air once again.
"You know what's wrong."
Zidane's grin deepened more towards his lover's cute expression.
"Just saying "You know what's wrong." doesn't tell me anything"
"Zidane!"
Dagger blushed as he responded teasingly.
She twisted her head away from Zidane's amused face.
The wind strummed their hair.
Dagger's luminous hair played around on Zidane's face.
The sweet fragrance tickled Zidane's nostrils.
"It tickles."
Holding the hair back with her hands, her pupils focused on him again.
"It's me that tickles. You just lay on my leg and went to sleep."
"I wasn't sleeping."
Zidane replied, twirling her long black hair in his fingers.
"I was listening to Dagger's voice."
Saying those embarassing words, Zidane chuckled.
If he said the same thing in the past, she would certainly turn scarlet. However throughout all this time, Dagger got used to it.
After the fake furrow, Dagger retorted.
"I want to hear Zidane's stories."
It was only for a short time that Zidane-who was always voyaging from here to there-could return and visit Dagger.
Dagger, as a Queen, had plenty of work to do. She was always looking forward to hear his stories since she was not able to get out herself.
"Dagger's song first!"
With he shaking his head, Dagger protested softly.
He knew moving his head on her lap would tickled her.
"Didn't I just sing that song?"
Zidane, who abruptly showed up in her reading time without a warning, made her sing the song.
She was a bit angry, but blushing, and sang the song as he climbed between her lap and the book in her hands.
"No, I want to hear more."
She shook her head, smiling at his childish answer.
"Zidane you are so selfish."
"Oh, you just noticed?"
"No, I knew it very well."
Exchanging a crooked smile with each other, Zidane parted his lips again.
"Hey, let me hear it. I want to hear Dagger's song."
Before she shut her eyelids, Dagger beamed.
Her long eyelashed made a shadow to her skin, embellishing her appearance to a higher level.
Although she would get mad if he stares at the trace of her face, the shape of her eyes, and her lips too much, he could observe the beauty that she could not see.
She is really beautiful, thought Zidane.
Opening her mouth, the clear notes overflew.
While listening to that song which both him and her knew well with tilted ears, Zidane once again closed his eyes.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Tomorrow
This is another one of my translations....
This is from a special chapter from a fanfic in Japanese called "Moonlight"
So a little background telling you what is happening in this chapter.
Zidane and Garnet are both above the age of 20 and are engaged..(which I don't think it is possible..Zidane=King? Impossible.)
And one day, this prince challenged Zidane to a duel for Garnet, Zidane fought him and won without knowing that person is the prince....Zidane didn't hurt him one bit but ppl made rumors that he hurt the prince and Garnet couldn't do anything about him.
So his punishment is either execution or exiled from Alexandria forever.
Zidane wanted to stay but Garnet begged him to leave and live.
And it turned out to be like this~
Enjoy!
Click this for the original website if you want to check it out
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's already....5 years."
The low whisper was sucked and absorbed by the dark sky.
It would be her 21st birthday today. In the cold Alexandria, which was far far away.
Tomorrow
During those 5 years, the world had completely changed.
Mists disappeared in the Mist Continent, there were no more mist machines. The vapor engine had replaced it, the airships and other vehicles could now raise up into mid-air with white puffs of smoke.
Alexandria had a new Queen. The previous Queen had died due to the commotion during the war.
Because of that war, the world was drained dry by the non-stop annhiliation. However, the legacy from that war was scarcely visible. People who were determined to rebuild the empire seemed as if that they had forgotten the agony of the war. The world was now in peace and stability.
Zidane Tribal became the lieutenant of Lindblum. Thinking that he was dead for two years, no one could help but appall and rejoice his return.
And then.
Even though everybody was blessing their reunion back then, why in the world would they face such separation once again...?
Zidane left Alexandria. Soundlessly, stepping on the withered grass outside the gate.
He could not ever visit here again. Visit this town, that she cherished so much.
***
"Rain..."
Looking up to the sky, Blank murmured.
Rain was rare in Lindblum. If the weather continues to be like this, the Hunter's Feastival would soon be canceled. After all, they merely had a week to do the preparation.
Rain in mid-winter was cold, people passing by scurried to their own houses, complaining. But, Blank was in no hurry. He walked on the trails to the gate, bathing in the drizzling rain.
Princess Garnet, 16th birthday.
After all these time, those words still sent a big impact to his chest, though they happened a long long time ago. When they were all being childish and foolish kids who were ignorant to the cruelty of the world.
Queen Garnet, 21st birhtday.
To Zidane,there would not be another day more miserable than today.
Why, couldn't anybody save him? Furthermore, why wouldn't anybody try to save him?
A lot had changed in 5 years.
Perhaps everybody would be happier if nothing had changed, and nothing had ever happened in the first place.
The rain fell upon the ground restlessly, tainting the town of Lindblum into a dark grey color.
It was almost like in that city far away, she was crying.
* * *
"Why didn't Dagger just go with Zidane?"
Eikomumbled.
Hearing that mutter, Freya narrowed her eyes slightly.
"If they separate.....they would never meet each other again....I..."
Hate it. The last two words that came out of Eiko's mouth were so low that they were erased by the wind.
"I'm sure she wanted to go. Even if the consequence was to give up her own life."
Freya squinted at the window. With big drops of rain ceaselessly falling from the grey sky, even this lively town would look hollow and gloomy as today.
Ah, maybe these were his tears. He who lost his place to shed tears.
"Is it because of her country that she couldn't go?"
"Well.......it's the best way."
"Then, didn't Zidane try to persuade her to go with him?"
Come with me.
Undeniably he wanted to say it. Even so, did he not say it? Or, was he not able to say it?
* * *
She must be suffering. Because these tough choices made her strong. It did not matter if she chose Alexandria or herself, she would be suffering in the end either way.
So, he would carry all these pain and sorrow by himself and go.
He wanted to take all the faults and blames, and make her happy.
Even so, it was definetely his selfishness speaking, taunting him, making him think about something like "if she was beside me", and "if her calm sleeping face was right beside me".
Even though he wanted her to forget all about him and be happy, it was definetely his selfishness speaking, torturing him, making him wish that she would remember him and think about him and love him no matter what happens.
Even though, he wanted her to smile in that city.
He opened his eyelids, pupils focusing towards the umbrella that was holding out to him.
With the rain constantly from the grey sky, everything was wet. The houses, the ground, the soil. Ever his blond hair that looked like the sunshine, was now drenched and dull.
"It's cold."
Blank said without asking a question. The breath came out to be so white, that it made him ponder whether or not it would turn into snow.
"Ah, yeah it seems like it."
Answered Zidane, bemused. The cold rain had stole his color.
"You're all wet too."
"I just went back home."
He took the towel on his shoulder off, placing it onto Zidane's head.
"It just started raining suddenly."
"Yeah."
Rain and teardrops were a lot alike. Maybe Zidane was crying too, as he was looking up to the sky.
A tiny drop fell from his bangs.
"Wipe it. Ruby would be an earful if she sees you walking into the house all soaking wet."
"Hm."
Nonetheless, Zidane, watching the sky, did not have any intention to move.
She was crying.
In that far away city, she was crying.
Why couldn't he stay by her side, run to her, and embrace her?
It's okay, I'm here. Look, the rain will stop soon.
He could not even say those things in order to console her.
Dagger.
If spring comes, will the searing prickle in the chest vanish?
Dagger.
If summer comes, will you be able to laugh?
If autumn comes, if winter comes......
If someday this life ends, will I see you in that place again?
The rain did not stop.
The wind mourned loudly, going through him.
In that city, she was crying.
* * *
All she had to do was smile. Even though her heart was bawling furiously, she had to hang an arc on the side of her mouth, place a twinkle of light in her irises.
Garnet gazed out the window.
The blinding blue sky, sunny and bright. The same color she saw everytime she peeked at his eyes.
When Alexandria was cold and dry, Lindblum would be undoubtedly raining chilly drops of liquids.
Was he cold right now? Was he quivering?
If there was a person who could warm his cold arms, those bleak lips......Ahh, but. She could not wish those things from the heart. How selfish it was---to wish for those things.
"Your Majesty."
Garnet twirled around.
Her heart was weeping continuously, ever since that day.
If she could fly to that town and see him. If she could, she would just practically scarifice anything, even her life.
"It is almost time."
The moment the servant announced that, she beamed. With her irises shimmering, her lips curling like the bud of a rose.
"Yes."
All she had to do was smile.
If it could bring the entire world happiness.
But, I might never smile from the heart again. Because all of me, along with him living in the bottom of my heart, were sealed together.
* * *
"You may not enter Alexandria."
"Stop being stupid. I'm a citizen from Treno."
"You may not enter unless you have a permit."
"Since when?"
Having a tall man hovering over him, the soldier flinched but did not back down.
"Since last year. You didn't know?"
Lani-----The man muttered towards the abruptly appearing figure.
"I was too late, when you're not here a lot had happened, though I tried to run here as fast as I can."
She is there all the time.
At the end of her finger tip, was the big pointy white tower.
"He..."
"I think he died."
"No way."
--------He was not that weak to beat.
Amarant, intending to say that, shut his mouth.
Even though he didn't die, maybe he did die.
* * *
The shadow was walking without an umbrella. Both the sky and the ground were dark, the shadow was black.
"Zidane."
The nostalgic person called out his name.
"I finally met you."
Although Freya tried to wipe off the water from her coat, but the liquid kept dripping down, she was quickly trapped by water once again.
Blank ascended his held-out umbrella, greeting her with his eyes despite words. She received it, and sent the same greeting back.
"Come in."
"It's okay."
The golden color that seemed to melt under the rain. It would be so much easier to just melt onto the floor, and immense into the soil. When even the path to escape was gone, the dispair would merely cause a big vortex in the chest, going round and round, gradually destroying everything along the way.
I'll give you guys some space, said Blank. He hesistated when he saw the umbrella he was holding out to Zidane, but Freya, noticing it, smiled and took over.
"It's exactly 5 years, today."
The rain was loud, Freya did not mind being submerged by them.
"It's fast. Dagger is already 21."
"How are your kids doing?"
Zidane inquired suddenly.
"They're fine. Too fine, I'd say, everyday is chaotic. I suddenly recalled when I first met you, and wondered how are you doing now."
"Did you purposely come just for this?"
"No, I was going to go to Alexandria."
The blond head did not have any response.
"But, I couldn't meet Dagger.....strict security over there. They thought I was some trouble-maker and shut me off."
The rain became stronger, as if it was pouring all the emotions from his heart out.
"Give..it up. It's fine."
"It's not fine."
"Go raise your kids properly."
Freya descended her emerald green eyes. He was still staring into mid-air, motionless.
"Neither me nor her wants this type of sacrifice."
"But"
An abrupt ebb of sorrow overwhelmed Freya's chest, making her silent temporarily.
"Are you saying that you're not letting me do anything?"
"Yes, I'm saying it."
"You, are you giving up?"
It was not like he was giving up.
Only that there was nothing he could do.
She told him to live. Even though they were separated, she wanted him to survive.
I don't have the strength to retort that wish. I can't just watch anybody getting hurt for my sake.
Therefore.
It was not like he was giving up.
It was only that, he was not able to find anything he could do.
* * *
"No matter what today is,"
The clear, starry sky after the rain was so blinding that it hurt his eyes.
Certainly, this sky had no difference with the sky he used to watch with her. And that, proved that how small he was in this world.
In that city, she must be suffering like him, grieving like him.
If it was really like that, then it would be more painful than his own aching. It could even be called 'frightening'.
Her sadness, and her pain. Let me carry all of it.
"Tomorrow would definetely come."
"If you're able to say'at, everything'll just be mighty fine."
Ruby grinned quietly.
He was not able to believe that tomorrow would come.
It was such a wonder to him, that a day called 'tomorrow' would ever exist after that day.
If tomorrow comes, would it make a difference?
If tomorrow comes, would she smile more than today?
If tomorrow comes, would she forget about him more than today?
If tomorrow comes, would it be one day closer to the day when he meets her again?
"See y'er tomarrow, Zidane."
"Yeah, good night."
Today is, 1805, January the 15th.
5 years, from the day I met you.
I lost the answer, which I was supposed to find that day.
This is from a special chapter from a fanfic in Japanese called "Moonlight"
So a little background telling you what is happening in this chapter.
Zidane and Garnet are both above the age of 20 and are engaged..(which I don't think it is possible..Zidane=King? Impossible.)
And one day, this prince challenged Zidane to a duel for Garnet, Zidane fought him and won without knowing that person is the prince....Zidane didn't hurt him one bit but ppl made rumors that he hurt the prince and Garnet couldn't do anything about him.
So his punishment is either execution or exiled from Alexandria forever.
Zidane wanted to stay but Garnet begged him to leave and live.
And it turned out to be like this~
Enjoy!
Click this for the original website if you want to check it out
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's already....5 years."
The low whisper was sucked and absorbed by the dark sky.
It would be her 21st birthday today. In the cold Alexandria, which was far far away.
Tomorrow
During those 5 years, the world had completely changed.
Mists disappeared in the Mist Continent, there were no more mist machines. The vapor engine had replaced it, the airships and other vehicles could now raise up into mid-air with white puffs of smoke.
Alexandria had a new Queen. The previous Queen had died due to the commotion during the war.
Because of that war, the world was drained dry by the non-stop annhiliation. However, the legacy from that war was scarcely visible. People who were determined to rebuild the empire seemed as if that they had forgotten the agony of the war. The world was now in peace and stability.
Zidane Tribal became the lieutenant of Lindblum. Thinking that he was dead for two years, no one could help but appall and rejoice his return.
And then.
Even though everybody was blessing their reunion back then, why in the world would they face such separation once again...?
Zidane left Alexandria. Soundlessly, stepping on the withered grass outside the gate.
He could not ever visit here again. Visit this town, that she cherished so much.
***
"Rain..."
Looking up to the sky, Blank murmured.
Rain was rare in Lindblum. If the weather continues to be like this, the Hunter's Feastival would soon be canceled. After all, they merely had a week to do the preparation.
Rain in mid-winter was cold, people passing by scurried to their own houses, complaining. But, Blank was in no hurry. He walked on the trails to the gate, bathing in the drizzling rain.
Princess Garnet, 16th birthday.
After all these time, those words still sent a big impact to his chest, though they happened a long long time ago. When they were all being childish and foolish kids who were ignorant to the cruelty of the world.
Queen Garnet, 21st birhtday.
To Zidane,there would not be another day more miserable than today.
Why, couldn't anybody save him? Furthermore, why wouldn't anybody try to save him?
A lot had changed in 5 years.
Perhaps everybody would be happier if nothing had changed, and nothing had ever happened in the first place.
The rain fell upon the ground restlessly, tainting the town of Lindblum into a dark grey color.
It was almost like in that city far away, she was crying.
* * *
"Why didn't Dagger just go with Zidane?"
Eikomumbled.
Hearing that mutter, Freya narrowed her eyes slightly.
"If they separate.....they would never meet each other again....I..."
Hate it. The last two words that came out of Eiko's mouth were so low that they were erased by the wind.
"I'm sure she wanted to go. Even if the consequence was to give up her own life."
Freya squinted at the window. With big drops of rain ceaselessly falling from the grey sky, even this lively town would look hollow and gloomy as today.
Ah, maybe these were his tears. He who lost his place to shed tears.
"Is it because of her country that she couldn't go?"
"Well.......it's the best way."
"Then, didn't Zidane try to persuade her to go with him?"
Come with me.
Undeniably he wanted to say it. Even so, did he not say it? Or, was he not able to say it?
* * *
She must be suffering. Because these tough choices made her strong. It did not matter if she chose Alexandria or herself, she would be suffering in the end either way.
So, he would carry all these pain and sorrow by himself and go.
He wanted to take all the faults and blames, and make her happy.
Even so, it was definetely his selfishness speaking, taunting him, making him think about something like "if she was beside me", and "if her calm sleeping face was right beside me".
Even though he wanted her to forget all about him and be happy, it was definetely his selfishness speaking, torturing him, making him wish that she would remember him and think about him and love him no matter what happens.
Even though, he wanted her to smile in that city.
He opened his eyelids, pupils focusing towards the umbrella that was holding out to him.
With the rain constantly from the grey sky, everything was wet. The houses, the ground, the soil. Ever his blond hair that looked like the sunshine, was now drenched and dull.
"It's cold."
Blank said without asking a question. The breath came out to be so white, that it made him ponder whether or not it would turn into snow.
"Ah, yeah it seems like it."
Answered Zidane, bemused. The cold rain had stole his color.
"You're all wet too."
"I just went back home."
He took the towel on his shoulder off, placing it onto Zidane's head.
"It just started raining suddenly."
"Yeah."
Rain and teardrops were a lot alike. Maybe Zidane was crying too, as he was looking up to the sky.
A tiny drop fell from his bangs.
"Wipe it. Ruby would be an earful if she sees you walking into the house all soaking wet."
"Hm."
Nonetheless, Zidane, watching the sky, did not have any intention to move.
She was crying.
In that far away city, she was crying.
Why couldn't he stay by her side, run to her, and embrace her?
It's okay, I'm here. Look, the rain will stop soon.
He could not even say those things in order to console her.
Dagger.
If spring comes, will the searing prickle in the chest vanish?
Dagger.
If summer comes, will you be able to laugh?
If autumn comes, if winter comes......
If someday this life ends, will I see you in that place again?
The rain did not stop.
The wind mourned loudly, going through him.
In that city, she was crying.
* * *
All she had to do was smile. Even though her heart was bawling furiously, she had to hang an arc on the side of her mouth, place a twinkle of light in her irises.
Garnet gazed out the window.
The blinding blue sky, sunny and bright. The same color she saw everytime she peeked at his eyes.
When Alexandria was cold and dry, Lindblum would be undoubtedly raining chilly drops of liquids.
Was he cold right now? Was he quivering?
If there was a person who could warm his cold arms, those bleak lips......Ahh, but. She could not wish those things from the heart. How selfish it was---to wish for those things.
"Your Majesty."
Garnet twirled around.
Her heart was weeping continuously, ever since that day.
If she could fly to that town and see him. If she could, she would just practically scarifice anything, even her life.
"It is almost time."
The moment the servant announced that, she beamed. With her irises shimmering, her lips curling like the bud of a rose.
"Yes."
All she had to do was smile.
If it could bring the entire world happiness.
But, I might never smile from the heart again. Because all of me, along with him living in the bottom of my heart, were sealed together.
* * *
"You may not enter Alexandria."
"Stop being stupid. I'm a citizen from Treno."
"You may not enter unless you have a permit."
"Since when?"
Having a tall man hovering over him, the soldier flinched but did not back down.
"Since last year. You didn't know?"
Lani-----The man muttered towards the abruptly appearing figure.
"I was too late, when you're not here a lot had happened, though I tried to run here as fast as I can."
She is there all the time.
At the end of her finger tip, was the big pointy white tower.
"He..."
"I think he died."
"No way."
--------He was not that weak to beat.
Amarant, intending to say that, shut his mouth.
Even though he didn't die, maybe he did die.
* * *
The shadow was walking without an umbrella. Both the sky and the ground were dark, the shadow was black.
"Zidane."
The nostalgic person called out his name.
"I finally met you."
Although Freya tried to wipe off the water from her coat, but the liquid kept dripping down, she was quickly trapped by water once again.
Blank ascended his held-out umbrella, greeting her with his eyes despite words. She received it, and sent the same greeting back.
"Come in."
"It's okay."
The golden color that seemed to melt under the rain. It would be so much easier to just melt onto the floor, and immense into the soil. When even the path to escape was gone, the dispair would merely cause a big vortex in the chest, going round and round, gradually destroying everything along the way.
I'll give you guys some space, said Blank. He hesistated when he saw the umbrella he was holding out to Zidane, but Freya, noticing it, smiled and took over.
"It's exactly 5 years, today."
The rain was loud, Freya did not mind being submerged by them.
"It's fast. Dagger is already 21."
"How are your kids doing?"
Zidane inquired suddenly.
"They're fine. Too fine, I'd say, everyday is chaotic. I suddenly recalled when I first met you, and wondered how are you doing now."
"Did you purposely come just for this?"
"No, I was going to go to Alexandria."
The blond head did not have any response.
"But, I couldn't meet Dagger.....strict security over there. They thought I was some trouble-maker and shut me off."
The rain became stronger, as if it was pouring all the emotions from his heart out.
"Give..it up. It's fine."
"It's not fine."
"Go raise your kids properly."
Freya descended her emerald green eyes. He was still staring into mid-air, motionless.
"Neither me nor her wants this type of sacrifice."
"But"
An abrupt ebb of sorrow overwhelmed Freya's chest, making her silent temporarily.
"Are you saying that you're not letting me do anything?"
"Yes, I'm saying it."
"You, are you giving up?"
It was not like he was giving up.
Only that there was nothing he could do.
She told him to live. Even though they were separated, she wanted him to survive.
I don't have the strength to retort that wish. I can't just watch anybody getting hurt for my sake.
Therefore.
It was not like he was giving up.
It was only that, he was not able to find anything he could do.
* * *
"No matter what today is,"
The clear, starry sky after the rain was so blinding that it hurt his eyes.
Certainly, this sky had no difference with the sky he used to watch with her. And that, proved that how small he was in this world.
In that city, she must be suffering like him, grieving like him.
If it was really like that, then it would be more painful than his own aching. It could even be called 'frightening'.
Her sadness, and her pain. Let me carry all of it.
"Tomorrow would definetely come."
"If you're able to say'at, everything'll just be mighty fine."
Ruby grinned quietly.
He was not able to believe that tomorrow would come.
It was such a wonder to him, that a day called 'tomorrow' would ever exist after that day.
If tomorrow comes, would it make a difference?
If tomorrow comes, would she smile more than today?
If tomorrow comes, would she forget about him more than today?
If tomorrow comes, would it be one day closer to the day when he meets her again?
"See y'er tomarrow, Zidane."
"Yeah, good night."
Today is, 1805, January the 15th.
5 years, from the day I met you.
I lost the answer, which I was supposed to find that day.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
My philosophical talk with my dad
Me and my dad basically talked for about philosophy for an hour yesterday at night...
I think it is really insightful that I could share it with you guys^^
What? Just because I love games I can't be intelligent?
I will classify the topics so that you can read it easier.
1)About judging good or bad:
This is the the start of the whole conversation. I was talking about Final Fantasy Versus XIII with him and I told him about the phrase in there which I concur a lot:"Nothing is ever good or bad. But due to the judgment by the humans, it fell into those two classifications." And he agreed with me. I think there is no such thing as good or bad before humans came. Because everything is in its cycle. For example, people think wolves are evil because they eat meat, but we humans eat meat more than anybody else. So we cannot really judge because we are on the top of the food chain, we are the most evil existance of all. But then my dad proclaims that there are also good and bad within the "bad" classification, and perhaps we humans are just a part of nature as well. And the concept of "good" and "bad" are not absolutely fixed, it all depends on the perspective of the individual. Because everybody have their own way to look at things, a certain angle. Nobody could really look at a thing in 360 degrees or there will be no differences between us and no dispute in opinions.
2)The meaning of life
My dad thinks that there are 2 types of the meaning of life: one, is that devoting, dedicating and leave a mark in history; two, is to enjoy your life plainly. It really made me confused because I don't believe that the meaning of life would just fall into merely two categories. I believe that the meaning of life is to make your life meaningful to you. No one really knows what it is, though. Because it depends on certain people and their interest. Some people think having a happy normal life would be meaningful, and some people think actually achieving and accomplishing something would be meaning. I argued with my dad that maybe devoting a mark in current society and leaving your footsteps in history IS how a certain person enjoys life, maybe doing that MADE them think that their life is meaningful. I think he agreed with me....but then he said a whole bunch of other arguments that really confused me....I think his main idea was that he approve what I said, and he is not arguing with me about that, but because I didn't understand how he classifies them, he told me how. Although after his speech, I was still clueless. His way of thinking is too profound for me to comprehend. Again, this topic is inspired by FFIX....cuz the point of the whole game is to make Zidane realize what life is, but it doesn't mean that is actually what life is.
3)Cycle of life
It still depends on people's concepts. Like to me, you can only experience life once as YOURSELF. Yes maybe you can goes through karma and start another life, I don't deny it, however, you may not be YOURSELF anymore, your gender may be different, your species may be different, your personality may be different. You would start a whole another life, as a different person. So I think everybody should cherish the experience of THIS life, because you will never ever ever get it back again. Afterwards I inquired my dad that whether he thinks we would re-live another life like in Buddhism but in the lowest term of life and live up to be human again. He thinks we might, but there maybe another higher level of life that we don't know yet and live up to THAT form after we die. Which hops to another topic.(see#5)
4)Whether or not God exists
I wanted to ask my dad that question a long time ago.
As much facts as science have explained, it did not explain everything. There are always something that science/logic cannot explain really well. An example of that, would be miracle. No matter how contradictory those two beliefs are, is there a possibility for science AND gods existing at the same time? My dad's answer is that is completely possible. The unknowns provides us unlimited possibilities. Then I started talking about gods. My opinion is that gods DOES exist, but just not the one(or ones)that humans believe in. First of all, there are too many gods in too many different religions, even in different skin color. I mean, Mohammed, Buddhah, Jesus, Zeus? These are all made up by people(really, no offense)and they just want to believe in them because they have nothing else to believe in. I do not suppose there are enough space for people to accept ALL of them and say that ALL of them are true.(point proven by those millions of Crusades & the big Holocaust happened a long time ago.)Then my dad said that perhaps there is ONE of them that is actually real, and ONE of the prophets in history might've really gotten the enlightenment from whatever god. Well, he kinda talked me into it. So my belief changed a little due to the "unlimited possibilities".
5)Optimistic, or pessimistic?
This topic is linked to #3. How? After he said that there might be a higher form of living, he told me that that is the difference between optimistic and pessimistic. Being optimistic is to think there is a higher living above humans; pessimistic is to think that human IS the highest level of living and we will be living the lowest life after we die and reborned. "Which way of thinking is easier to live your life?" asked my deeply-intelligent-child-loving dad. My answer is optimistic(obvoiusly). Optimistic is sticking to reality, pessimistic is out of reality. For example, I look out the window right now, my optimistic thoughts are:what a nice day; and my pessimistic thoughts will be:oh man it's definetely going to rain. If you look at the clouds, optimistic thoughts: the sky is so blue and perfect;pessimistic:what if the sky cracks and demons come out? See? Being pessimistic is to imagine yourself in the worse(or worst)situation and not seeing the beauty of everything. Nobody likes to live that way. But some people are just born to be pessimistic, it is in your DNA and you cannot help but worry. So, here is a solution:stick to what you know, what is around you, and most importantly, STICK TO THE PRESENT AND NOT THE FUTURE. Looking at the future too much might make you miss a chance that is never going to happen again. And I learned that from my dad.
Oh man...that last one sounds like something that comes from an advice coloum......oh well, I don't want to adjust it.
So as you can see, my dad and I actually talked about a lot of unpractical stuff...but I really enjoyed it. And that's basically how I spend my "quality time" with my dad because that's probably the only thing that we have in common...With my mom, we have a lot more stuff to do. But the amound of fun I have is the same, in different ways. I like to sit down and talk, not as a listener or a talker, but both.^^
I think it is really insightful that I could share it with you guys^^
What? Just because I love games I can't be intelligent?
I will classify the topics so that you can read it easier.
1)About judging good or bad:
This is the the start of the whole conversation. I was talking about Final Fantasy Versus XIII with him and I told him about the phrase in there which I concur a lot:"Nothing is ever good or bad. But due to the judgment by the humans, it fell into those two classifications." And he agreed with me. I think there is no such thing as good or bad before humans came. Because everything is in its cycle. For example, people think wolves are evil because they eat meat, but we humans eat meat more than anybody else. So we cannot really judge because we are on the top of the food chain, we are the most evil existance of all. But then my dad proclaims that there are also good and bad within the "bad" classification, and perhaps we humans are just a part of nature as well. And the concept of "good" and "bad" are not absolutely fixed, it all depends on the perspective of the individual. Because everybody have their own way to look at things, a certain angle. Nobody could really look at a thing in 360 degrees or there will be no differences between us and no dispute in opinions.
2)The meaning of life
My dad thinks that there are 2 types of the meaning of life: one, is that devoting, dedicating and leave a mark in history; two, is to enjoy your life plainly. It really made me confused because I don't believe that the meaning of life would just fall into merely two categories. I believe that the meaning of life is to make your life meaningful to you. No one really knows what it is, though. Because it depends on certain people and their interest. Some people think having a happy normal life would be meaningful, and some people think actually achieving and accomplishing something would be meaning. I argued with my dad that maybe devoting a mark in current society and leaving your footsteps in history IS how a certain person enjoys life, maybe doing that MADE them think that their life is meaningful. I think he agreed with me....but then he said a whole bunch of other arguments that really confused me....I think his main idea was that he approve what I said, and he is not arguing with me about that, but because I didn't understand how he classifies them, he told me how. Although after his speech, I was still clueless. His way of thinking is too profound for me to comprehend. Again, this topic is inspired by FFIX....cuz the point of the whole game is to make Zidane realize what life is, but it doesn't mean that is actually what life is.
3)Cycle of life
It still depends on people's concepts. Like to me, you can only experience life once as YOURSELF. Yes maybe you can goes through karma and start another life, I don't deny it, however, you may not be YOURSELF anymore, your gender may be different, your species may be different, your personality may be different. You would start a whole another life, as a different person. So I think everybody should cherish the experience of THIS life, because you will never ever ever get it back again. Afterwards I inquired my dad that whether he thinks we would re-live another life like in Buddhism but in the lowest term of life and live up to be human again. He thinks we might, but there maybe another higher level of life that we don't know yet and live up to THAT form after we die. Which hops to another topic.(see#5)
4)Whether or not God exists
I wanted to ask my dad that question a long time ago.
As much facts as science have explained, it did not explain everything. There are always something that science/logic cannot explain really well. An example of that, would be miracle. No matter how contradictory those two beliefs are, is there a possibility for science AND gods existing at the same time? My dad's answer is that is completely possible. The unknowns provides us unlimited possibilities. Then I started talking about gods. My opinion is that gods DOES exist, but just not the one(or ones)that humans believe in. First of all, there are too many gods in too many different religions, even in different skin color. I mean, Mohammed, Buddhah, Jesus, Zeus? These are all made up by people(really, no offense)and they just want to believe in them because they have nothing else to believe in. I do not suppose there are enough space for people to accept ALL of them and say that ALL of them are true.(point proven by those millions of Crusades & the big Holocaust happened a long time ago.)Then my dad said that perhaps there is ONE of them that is actually real, and ONE of the prophets in history might've really gotten the enlightenment from whatever god. Well, he kinda talked me into it. So my belief changed a little due to the "unlimited possibilities".
5)Optimistic, or pessimistic?
This topic is linked to #3. How? After he said that there might be a higher form of living, he told me that that is the difference between optimistic and pessimistic. Being optimistic is to think there is a higher living above humans; pessimistic is to think that human IS the highest level of living and we will be living the lowest life after we die and reborned. "Which way of thinking is easier to live your life?" asked my deeply-intelligent-child-loving dad. My answer is optimistic(obvoiusly). Optimistic is sticking to reality, pessimistic is out of reality. For example, I look out the window right now, my optimistic thoughts are:what a nice day; and my pessimistic thoughts will be:oh man it's definetely going to rain. If you look at the clouds, optimistic thoughts: the sky is so blue and perfect;pessimistic:what if the sky cracks and demons come out? See? Being pessimistic is to imagine yourself in the worse(or worst)situation and not seeing the beauty of everything. Nobody likes to live that way. But some people are just born to be pessimistic, it is in your DNA and you cannot help but worry. So, here is a solution:stick to what you know, what is around you, and most importantly, STICK TO THE PRESENT AND NOT THE FUTURE. Looking at the future too much might make you miss a chance that is never going to happen again. And I learned that from my dad.
Oh man...that last one sounds like something that comes from an advice coloum......oh well, I don't want to adjust it.
So as you can see, my dad and I actually talked about a lot of unpractical stuff...but I really enjoyed it. And that's basically how I spend my "quality time" with my dad because that's probably the only thing that we have in common...With my mom, we have a lot more stuff to do. But the amound of fun I have is the same, in different ways. I like to sit down and talk, not as a listener or a talker, but both.^^
Friday, May 15, 2009
I simply cannot WAIT until Final Fantasy Versus XIII comes out!!
Here is a mixed trailer some one made....YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT IN HIGH QUALITY!!!
It's plainly out of this world....
Enjoy!!
I know this game is in the making ever since 2007.....and I cannot wait for it to come out! The release date is approximately in late Decemeber, 2009...only half a year of waiting to go! I am good at waiting...
The graphics blew me away the second I saw it.
So realistic, so exciting, so.....magnificent!
It made my blood dance in my arteries, making me hyper.
Okay, I know that I said that Zidane is my favourite character and all...but Noctis is flat-out awesome! My brain adores the way his name rings:Noctis Lucis Caelum. I am really glad that he is not as cold and ruthless like Cloud and Squall, as much as he seemed to be like that. Not only that he is shy, Nomura said that he have always wanted to try a specific personality on a character, which shows to be within Noctis. It is not revealed yet, but i bet that he has a great personality. As a prince-who is supposed to be weak and manipulative,because most prince are jerks..-he is strong, cool, and HOT!(Okay I'm sorry I shouldn't have said what I said to scare people....ignore that..)
The question of whether or not Noctis and Stella are going to have romance still haunts me a little. Everybody knows that Stella and Noctis are real enemies and they have to fight each other no matter what. That would make a classic romance. "I love you but it is my duty to kill you." It is going to make my heart throb, but it's better than nothing, right?
I love the concept of making Noctis eye's turn crimson when he is in battle as a sign of sin and blood. I always admired people with red eyes, trust me...
And being able to control 10 swords in a fight when you're playing the game....is the best out of the best! I mean I felt REALLY good when I was using Roxas with 2 keyblades in Kingdom Hearts II, imagine how i would feel if I had TEN...
Anways...I just know it's going to be a huge hit all over the world.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Another one of my reviews: Final Fantasy IX
Here is another video that I didn't make...about Zidane and Garnet....the music is not from FFIX but i think it is good...Enjoy!
I have never played FFIX before......
But I already knew everything about them.
I watched all the play-through videos and read the entire script for like uncountable times.
By the way, if anybody knows where you can download FFIX files in PSP...please tell me......
As you can see, FFIX is my favourite. Yes, my comments about FFIX is not as emotional and passionate like my reviews about Final Fantasy X, but when you are seriously stunned and impressed the depth of something, you are not excited, but starting to grow respect to the game. And that is how I feel.
Firstly, Zidane is my favourite character of all times, and it will never change. Why? Because he is not sullen like the previous characters, such as Cloud and Squall. I love the way his "my way or the highway" attitude and the straight forward manner. I have to admit, though, he is a definite skirt-chaser and some might say a player. And personally I do not suppose that it is a bad quality. I mean, being a skirt-chaser, he could understand the mind of the girls and how to make them happy. He knows when and how to be gentleman. What girl doesn't love that? He does have a dark side though, just like Squall. But unlike him, Zidane is always trying to make the best out of what he has. Plus he has the confidence that says "You never know until you try." which I really like. However, what really won me over was the kind personality, knowledge and insights. I have to say, he sure has a lot of depth for a thief.
The storyline in the game, for me, it is subtle and generally held a comedy image. It doesn't have as much impact compared to the other Final Fantasy. However, it has great details and depth. Although the actual story is the least Final Fantasy that is related to reality, it has the most insights and moral lesson aboiut life. Every detail of the game is so connected that truly impressed me. The relationships between the characters are very elaborate and well-kept. Especially the developments of their relationships and the strong bond that are unfolding slowly throughout the story. Every character is connected in someway, deeply(well, except Quina...). Like how Zidane and Vivi understand each other's feelings of being created, how Zidane's attitude to Garnet gradually turned from light and easy to thick and loving, and how Amarant learned the sense of teamwork from Zidane. Everybody in the game is being influenced and changed by Zidane, meanwhile Zidane is being influenced and changed by all of them too. And FFIX is probably the FF that shows the most development of romance between the main character and heroine. I love how they show the slow changes of atmosphere between Zidane and Garnet, and not unreasonable and abrupt.
I like the graphic of settings in FFIX and the character designs. But I don't know why, Zidane's design is the most un-outstanding of all....his pants are just rigid....it looks like someone shoved a metal in those pockets...Square Enix should've REALLY fix it...the Dissidia version looked so much better.
I love the music in the game....it's not as beautiful as the music in FFX, but the music gives the entire story a more "tale"-like feeling. And they have the BEST battle OST ever. My favourites are:"Melodies of Life","Tantalus' Theme","Bittersweet Romance","Battle 1","Kuja's Theme","Final Battle" and "The Place I'll Return To Someday."
I really like FFIX and may I say me and Garnet are a lot alike. I wish I can meet my Zidane one day.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
My reviews about final fantasy X
Here is a video on Youtube(which I didn't make)that has the orchestral version of "To Zanarkand". It shows a lot of the good scenes in it.
Enjoy!
I just bought FFX for like about a year of so, and started playing'em on the last 3 months and finally beat the whole thing.
Personally, I really think that it is a great game to play.
That's why i love the Square Enix games, not only they have all those graphics and music and fighting scenes, they also have a touching yet insightful plots.
And I think that's why that they would go worldwide and still be so popular.
It's not like those violent fighting games that people are addicted to and fighting their eyes red, this game actually sent a churn in my stomach and made my throat croak. It was too touching.
I mean, I am a fan to romance stories, and I've read a lot of them, in many writing styles. I always love the chemistry between those two people more than the hot n' heavy physically R-rated stuff.
But the romance between Tidus and Yuna was way out of the scale.
A dream that didn't even exist in the beginning fell in love with a girl who was intending to save the world from the monster Sin by sacrificing her own life.
In the end, either Tidus has to disappear, or Yuna has to die.
If Tidus disappears, the world would be in peace forever.
If Yuna dies, the irrevocable cycle of death-Sin is going to come back again. The people would still be in danger.
It's either him, or her.
They couldn't be together what so ever.
That's what makes it sad.
A lot of fans were whining:"Why does Tidus have to disappear?!?!?It's so unfair!"
However, if you really contemplate the story, Tidus disappearing might just be the best choice of all.
Firstly, he is just a dream, he doesn't have a life to lose in the beginning.
Comparing to Yuna losing her acutal life and not able to come back, this is better.
Besides, the world would be happy without Sin forever.
The best strategy to do that was to make him disappear.
In the ending, when the hostile feelings between Tidus and his father was solved, and all the eidilons were disappearing by the effect of Yuna's beautiful dance, Tidus was watching her, and watching himself becoming transparent bit by bit.
According to the rhythmn of "the Fayth's Hymn", Yuna's body was twirling on the airship.
When Yuna dashed out to Tidus, attempting to embrace him but fell down, I felt acid rushing from the inside of my eyes.
What really made me burst into tear was the scene when Tidus placing his transparent arms gently around her, as if he could really feel her warmth(which he couldn't). That moment, "To Zanarkand" suddenly rose in climax, making the moment sadder than ever.
The oxymoronic feelings of happiness and sorrow really made my heart ache, especially as Tidus leaped into the sky, high-fiving his dad.
This game didn't really show the development of feelings between Tidus and Yuna, because they were suppressing themselves to not fall in love with each other even though they already did at the first sight, until that long, slow, 2 minute under water kiss.
They were each other's comfort.
I was happy to find out that you are able to make him come back in Final Fantasy X-2.
Anyway........If you're playing this game(or played it a long time ago...), I'd really love you guys to share your comments with me.^^
This is really an awesome game, I wish I can play X-2.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Frantic Feast Epilogue
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY IN JAPANESE!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epilogue
Due to that incident, the gathering had been canceled and the Queen's party decided to return to Alexandria early.
Although everybody went into their separate rooms in order to pack their things, Zidane opened his room and breathed.
Because that he came here as Tot's trainee(though his identity was already known to everyone), he and Tot shared the room. He felt strange that Tot did not attend the gathering.
"Dr.Tot...."
Zidane called once. There was no respond.
Inside the room, a pillar made entirely out books which was not there yesterday entered his sight.
This pillar of stacks of books had a height that Zidane guessed would reach the sky. Plus, there were six of them. And when he looked closely, the pillars were surrounding something, and the middle was empty.
He could dimly see a shadow.
Although I think it'd be impossible....
Zidane tilted his head.
Don't tell that he was reading all this time....?!
Although it was a question, he was very certain that it was true.
His Queen almost got killed...and this Commander was....
Dropping his shoulders, Zidane sighed heavily.
Then, someone knocked the door.
Zidane looked back, Yuju was looking at him with his hand on the opened door.
"Hey......Do you have a sec?"
* * *
A few hours later, as the sun did not come out yet, the servants, soldiers and maid got into the Red Rose that landed outside of the Treno gate.
The Red Rose of Alexandria was adapted by the mechanics in Lindblum and was able to fly without the mist.
Garnet's back was towards the Red Rose, with Yuju facing her, smiling. Beside Garnet, Zidane's hawk-y eyes were warning him, flashing.
Kushuhal was not present.
"Sarah, here."
Receiving the objects that Yuju was holding out, Garnet blinked.
Yuju gave her two earrings. With bright yellow stones attached to them. From the color and the texture, they were probably topaz.
Why was he giving this to her...?
Yuju explained to Garnet's puzzled eyes, grinning.
"This is what your father wanted to give you in case you don't meet again."
Garnet's eyes widened.
"My father...?"
"Yes. Your father chiseled this from one stone. For Sarah...and Sarah's mother. Since your mother did not have the chance, you can have a pair."
Garnet curled her fingers around the two small pierces on her hand with affections. Closing her eyes, and thought about her father who was sleeping in the soil.
"And, there was something he wanted to say to you. I'll just say it--?"
When Garnet nodded, Yuju took a deep breath, softly closed his eyelids. Then he re-wove the words together.
------------------[No matter where you are, I'll always be wishing for your happiness]-----------------------
Slowing understanding that sentence, Garnet carved those words inside her heart.
Father.......
"Thank you, Alexend. I'm glad you are alive."
In reaction of Garnet's beam, Yuju did the same.
"I am glad that I can give this to you too. How happy I was when I knew that you survived."
Be careful, reminded Yuju.
"Farewell."
And Garnet, along with Zidane, climbed into the Red Rose.
The sound of the engine roared, and it floated into the air.
Garnet looked down from the deck, waving to Yuju. Yuju smiled.
She gazed at him gradually disappearing from her view until she could not see him anymore.
"Zidane, are you still mad?"
With her pupils focused downwards, she inquired Zidane, who was beside her.
Zidane had been with Garnet all the time. However, after the incident happened in the gathering, she did not hear a sound coming from him.
Even now, his back was leaning against the handles of the Red Rose, arms folded around his chest.
Garnet frowned to the young man who kept silent, and examined his expression.
"Zidane?"
Her face was reflected on his aquamarine eyes.
Meanwhile, he reacted for the first time. ---Though not the reaction that Garnet was expecting.
".....Zidane?"
Zidane's arms caught Garnet's waist gently.
"I'm not mad. .....Sorry for being so paranoid."
Towards Zidane's kind smile, Garnet was relieved.
It was the smile he always had.
"BUT~Garnet. Don't ever dance with other guys even if they invited you to."
Hearing his harsh words, Garnet lifted her face to him. Her face was naive, and so unalarmed that it worried Zidane.
......She doesn't have any self-conscious at all....
"Then, can you promise me too?"
"What?"
"You will not dance with other girls."
Her cheerful grin was too cute, which made Zidane tighten his arms instinctly.
Wanting to see her response, he deliberately said it in a teasing way.
"Yes. I-Zidane Tribal-hereby make a vow to not dance with any other female except for Her Majesty in all of my life, if that is what the Queen desires."
"Hey!"
Noticing the joking material in that sentence, Garnet pummeled Zidane's chest angrily.
Zidane laughed at her interesting response.
"Hey, Zidane!"
Shouted Garnet while pinching him, her face pumped with air.
On the other side, Beatrix and the maids observed them joyfully.
When laughing, Zidane leisurely recalled a thing that he was concerned about.
The conversation he had with Yuju before leaving Treno.
[I want to tell you something before you leave.]
[Have you given up on Garnet yet?]
[.......She refused the engagement and called out your name, I don't have any intention to persevere. Besides..]
[Besides?]
[No, nothing. Instead of that, Mr.Zidane. ----Take care of Sarah.]
[......Why do I even need your word?]
[I want to protect her myself too. But I’m caught up to something.]
[Caught up?]
[The Queen already said there will be punishment. I'll have to make her safe.]
[You, so you're saying that you'll do something to your dad?]
[Mr.Zidane.]
Yuju said with the most ominous irises.
[Be careful. [That man] did not give up yet.]
......He was concerned about those final words from Yuju.
[That man] must be referring to Kushuhal. Nonetheless, it seemed like a trigger to something.
-----Hope everything is alright....
* * *
This was a dark town. Dark room. A dark place where sunlight could not reach.
There was only darkness. Darkness, and a candle that ignited the darkness. Plus, the mortal greed.
Again, within the flame of the candle, that gluttony was being released into the air.
"-------Looks like the Queen's life was saved."
From the light of that fire, a human shadow appeared on the wall.
Wavering constantly, not steady.
"Father, why did you hire those people? Do you not have faith in me?"
"I do. Nevertheless, I never thought you would interfere. You prevented this great opportunity of killing the Queen and let the prey free. Do you say that is not betraying?"
"Father..."
The shadow was swaying. As if trying to block that shadow, a butterfly was visible once more, being devoured by the shadow.
"I thought that you...wouldn't betray me."
"Father, please open your eyes! Father, you are not supposed to want to use that strategy to conquer the country! Besides! Besides......Mother had already died! Are you not to obtain this power for Mother? But my Mother is not in this world anymore!"
The shadow, swung. The butterfly, motionless. Only the man's shadow, was swinging miserably.
"Please open your eyes Father! I do not suppose that Mother would want Father to be like this!"
The young man spoke in despair. Desparatly trying to stop his sorrowful actions.
"-----...So that's it..---"
"Father!"
"They...---killed Diana, didn't they...?"
"Father?!"
"They...killed! Killed, Diana---!!!"
"Father! It's not like that!"
"Yuju..... I thought that you would not deceive me. But, I am mistaken."
The butterfly moved. Flapping its wings around the young man, beseiging him with glowing dust.
"This is....! Father!"
"Good bye, Yuju."
The young man's shadow collapsed.
A second before losing his conscious, the young man drew the face of the girl who he searched for for 11 years in his brain.
She had become a beautiful lady.
.......However, it was when he lost his Mother who loved him like her own child that he knew she was alive.
Afterwards, he was affirmative that it was [her]. Then, his passion for her was defeated.
Eleven years he kept longing and searching, and it all ceased like this.
Sara....---
The young man, tranquilly, closed his eyes......
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epilogue
Due to that incident, the gathering had been canceled and the Queen's party decided to return to Alexandria early.
Although everybody went into their separate rooms in order to pack their things, Zidane opened his room and breathed.
Because that he came here as Tot's trainee(though his identity was already known to everyone), he and Tot shared the room. He felt strange that Tot did not attend the gathering.
"Dr.Tot...."
Zidane called once. There was no respond.
Inside the room, a pillar made entirely out books which was not there yesterday entered his sight.
This pillar of stacks of books had a height that Zidane guessed would reach the sky. Plus, there were six of them. And when he looked closely, the pillars were surrounding something, and the middle was empty.
He could dimly see a shadow.
Although I think it'd be impossible....
Zidane tilted his head.
Don't tell that he was reading all this time....?!
Although it was a question, he was very certain that it was true.
His Queen almost got killed...and this Commander was....
Dropping his shoulders, Zidane sighed heavily.
Then, someone knocked the door.
Zidane looked back, Yuju was looking at him with his hand on the opened door.
"Hey......Do you have a sec?"
* * *
A few hours later, as the sun did not come out yet, the servants, soldiers and maid got into the Red Rose that landed outside of the Treno gate.
The Red Rose of Alexandria was adapted by the mechanics in Lindblum and was able to fly without the mist.
Garnet's back was towards the Red Rose, with Yuju facing her, smiling. Beside Garnet, Zidane's hawk-y eyes were warning him, flashing.
Kushuhal was not present.
"Sarah, here."
Receiving the objects that Yuju was holding out, Garnet blinked.
Yuju gave her two earrings. With bright yellow stones attached to them. From the color and the texture, they were probably topaz.
Why was he giving this to her...?
Yuju explained to Garnet's puzzled eyes, grinning.
"This is what your father wanted to give you in case you don't meet again."
Garnet's eyes widened.
"My father...?"
"Yes. Your father chiseled this from one stone. For Sarah...and Sarah's mother. Since your mother did not have the chance, you can have a pair."
Garnet curled her fingers around the two small pierces on her hand with affections. Closing her eyes, and thought about her father who was sleeping in the soil.
"And, there was something he wanted to say to you. I'll just say it--?"
When Garnet nodded, Yuju took a deep breath, softly closed his eyelids. Then he re-wove the words together.
------------------[No matter where you are, I'll always be wishing for your happiness]-----------------------
Slowing understanding that sentence, Garnet carved those words inside her heart.
Father.......
"Thank you, Alexend. I'm glad you are alive."
In reaction of Garnet's beam, Yuju did the same.
"I am glad that I can give this to you too. How happy I was when I knew that you survived."
Be careful, reminded Yuju.
"Farewell."
And Garnet, along with Zidane, climbed into the Red Rose.
The sound of the engine roared, and it floated into the air.
Garnet looked down from the deck, waving to Yuju. Yuju smiled.
She gazed at him gradually disappearing from her view until she could not see him anymore.
"Zidane, are you still mad?"
With her pupils focused downwards, she inquired Zidane, who was beside her.
Zidane had been with Garnet all the time. However, after the incident happened in the gathering, she did not hear a sound coming from him.
Even now, his back was leaning against the handles of the Red Rose, arms folded around his chest.
Garnet frowned to the young man who kept silent, and examined his expression.
"Zidane?"
Her face was reflected on his aquamarine eyes.
Meanwhile, he reacted for the first time. ---Though not the reaction that Garnet was expecting.
".....Zidane?"
Zidane's arms caught Garnet's waist gently.
"I'm not mad. .....Sorry for being so paranoid."
Towards Zidane's kind smile, Garnet was relieved.
It was the smile he always had.
"BUT~Garnet. Don't ever dance with other guys even if they invited you to."
Hearing his harsh words, Garnet lifted her face to him. Her face was naive, and so unalarmed that it worried Zidane.
......She doesn't have any self-conscious at all....
"Then, can you promise me too?"
"What?"
"You will not dance with other girls."
Her cheerful grin was too cute, which made Zidane tighten his arms instinctly.
Wanting to see her response, he deliberately said it in a teasing way.
"Yes. I-Zidane Tribal-hereby make a vow to not dance with any other female except for Her Majesty in all of my life, if that is what the Queen desires."
"Hey!"
Noticing the joking material in that sentence, Garnet pummeled Zidane's chest angrily.
Zidane laughed at her interesting response.
"Hey, Zidane!"
Shouted Garnet while pinching him, her face pumped with air.
On the other side, Beatrix and the maids observed them joyfully.
When laughing, Zidane leisurely recalled a thing that he was concerned about.
The conversation he had with Yuju before leaving Treno.
[I want to tell you something before you leave.]
[Have you given up on Garnet yet?]
[.......She refused the engagement and called out your name, I don't have any intention to persevere. Besides..]
[Besides?]
[No, nothing. Instead of that, Mr.Zidane. ----Take care of Sarah.]
[......Why do I even need your word?]
[I want to protect her myself too. But I’m caught up to something.]
[Caught up?]
[The Queen already said there will be punishment. I'll have to make her safe.]
[You, so you're saying that you'll do something to your dad?]
[Mr.Zidane.]
Yuju said with the most ominous irises.
[Be careful. [That man] did not give up yet.]
......He was concerned about those final words from Yuju.
[That man] must be referring to Kushuhal. Nonetheless, it seemed like a trigger to something.
-----Hope everything is alright....
* * *
This was a dark town. Dark room. A dark place where sunlight could not reach.
There was only darkness. Darkness, and a candle that ignited the darkness. Plus, the mortal greed.
Again, within the flame of the candle, that gluttony was being released into the air.
"-------Looks like the Queen's life was saved."
From the light of that fire, a human shadow appeared on the wall.
Wavering constantly, not steady.
"Father, why did you hire those people? Do you not have faith in me?"
"I do. Nevertheless, I never thought you would interfere. You prevented this great opportunity of killing the Queen and let the prey free. Do you say that is not betraying?"
"Father..."
The shadow was swaying. As if trying to block that shadow, a butterfly was visible once more, being devoured by the shadow.
"I thought that you...wouldn't betray me."
"Father, please open your eyes! Father, you are not supposed to want to use that strategy to conquer the country! Besides! Besides......Mother had already died! Are you not to obtain this power for Mother? But my Mother is not in this world anymore!"
The shadow, swung. The butterfly, motionless. Only the man's shadow, was swinging miserably.
"Please open your eyes Father! I do not suppose that Mother would want Father to be like this!"
The young man spoke in despair. Desparatly trying to stop his sorrowful actions.
"-----...So that's it..---"
"Father!"
"They...---killed Diana, didn't they...?"
"Father?!"
"They...killed! Killed, Diana---!!!"
"Father! It's not like that!"
"Yuju..... I thought that you would not deceive me. But, I am mistaken."
The butterfly moved. Flapping its wings around the young man, beseiging him with glowing dust.
"This is....! Father!"
"Good bye, Yuju."
The young man's shadow collapsed.
A second before losing his conscious, the young man drew the face of the girl who he searched for for 11 years in his brain.
She had become a beautiful lady.
.......However, it was when he lost his Mother who loved him like her own child that he knew she was alive.
Afterwards, he was affirmative that it was [her]. Then, his passion for her was defeated.
Eleven years he kept longing and searching, and it all ceased like this.
Sara....---
The young man, tranquilly, closed his eyes......
Frantic Feast Chapter 7
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY IN JAPANESE!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 7
"Is it fun peeking at people’s rooms? Mr.Marcus...No, maybe I should call you Mr.Zidane?"
Yuju Kushuhal revealed the same smile that Zidane had seen when he first met him, kind and friendly.
"Yuju...."
Instead of astonishing by that fact that Yuju appeared and busted his identity, Zidane was more stunned by the scenario he just saw.
"......What is this....?"
He asked in daze.
"You saw it, didn't you?"
Yuju inquired back without changing his expression or being surprised.
While still in daze, Zidane nodded. He did not know what was happening.
"Why....."
Separating his back from the tree trunk, he jumped off. Although the height was equivalent to the height on the third floor, Zidane landed without a problem. But this was not important.
"What the hell is this!"
Zidane went towards Yuju, grasping his clothes on his chest, lifting him up and shouted.
"Why is it a puppet?!"
It was a puppet. Not a living woman, but a lifeless, motionless puppet.
The one that Kushuhal was holding lovingly with his arms in the dark, was a puppet that was made in human size. Even Zidane could tell through the faint light far away.
For the first time, Yuju's face changed, eyes dropped, smile gone, and eyebrows furrowed.
"Mother, Diana Kushuhal, died last year. ---After the invasion from Alexandria."
Zidane widened his eyes.
It's that time!
"She came to pick up my Father-----My Father did not know that my Mother had come, and they missed each other. It was when she was returning to Treno..."
Kushuhal, who had just lost his dearly beloved wife, roared in despair.
Why did she come!
Why didn't I wait for her!
Why couldn't I protect her!
Why-----!
"He did not sleep or eat for three days, kept screaming and crying. The doctors were forced to use medicine to make him fall asleep. Then the next day, when he woke up.."
[Yuju, is Diana still sleeping?]
Everybody who were there were surprised. They thought that he was sleeping too much.
"However, they were wrong. From that day, to my Father, Mother was only sleeping due to her disease."
The servants suffered and dropped tears to see their master's memory was twisted, made a lifelike puppet and led it lie there in order to make believe.
"From my Father's view now, that puppet is "Diana"."
"What....is...that..!"
It was extraordinary, insane. How could he, in exchange of his wife's death, replace her as a puppet !
"Why didn't you tell him the truth! That's just sick, isn't it?! Because she’s----dead!"
"......"
Yuju did not say anything. Silently, he closed his eyelids.
"That sick guy is seriously targeting on Alexandria....? Are you saying that HE is targeting on Garnet?!"
"-----...I got an order, from my Father."
"What?"
Zidane flinched instinctly. Due to Yuju's abrupt change in attitude.
His aura turned from friendly, to dreadful killing.
"!"
Yuju made his move first.
Clang!
The fierce sound echoed in the garden.
"Ngh.”
Defending himself by daggers from the sword that Yuju pulled out under his clothes, Zidane thought.
How powerful..!
It was almost as heavy as Beatrix or Steiner's sword.
No doubt, he's not a summoner!
Summoners and mages were from the same area. Mages could not possibly be this good at using weaponry.
Yuju was this powerful at using swords. Zidane knew perfectly well that he was not the childhood friend of Garnet----Summoners.
Zidane and Yuju were now glowering at each other face to face. Towards Zidane, who had to concentrate all his strength on defending himself, Yuju grinned victoriously.
"There are 2 orders. One, make Queen Garnet marry me."
"Wha....!"
Clang!
Zidane swung his daggers towards the sword, released himself, and attacked.
Nonetheless, Yuju blocked the dagger that he threw that him.
Again, they returned to the glowering situation.
"The other order was that--If the engagement was rejected, assassinate the Queen without anybody knowing."
"What?!"
"And, the Queen refused the offer today. That means, I have to eliminate the Queen."
"I won't let you!"
It was right when Zidane was truly provoked and tried to make an attempt to stab him.
----They heard a small screech of a female.
"!"
Zidane reacted immediately.
He could not had mistaken. That voice was...!
"Garnet!"
"!?"
Pushing the sword away without thinking, Zidane stormed out.
* * *
"Ugh…"
Beatrix fought desperately when the enemies revealed their sharp weapons and leaped on her.
She underestimated them too much..!
Garnet and Beatrix attended the gathering during the noon.
Although they entered the lobby, Kushuhal did not come out and welcome them as usual. As the nobles were starting to get confused, a bunch of men who looked no more than regular people dashed in. Not minding that all the nobles were witnesses, they attacked the Queen with threatening expressions, therefore making Beatrix shocked by their actions.
Though she was by Garnet's side as a guard, weapons were prohibited during the party, so she did not equip Save The Queen.
Neither Beatrix nor Garnet expected that they would be under attack with all these people.
While protecting Garnet with her back towards her, Beatrix clenched her teeth, sweat dripping down from her forehead.
Eight opponents. Even the greatest warrior of Alexandria was not certain whether or not she could defeat these weapon-equipped men with merely martial arts.
She kicked the stomach of one of the men who was going to slice her. She did not hold back her strength. Both Garnet and she would be in serious danger if she did.
Receiving kicks over and over again, the men went unconscious one by one. Nevertheless, when there were four opponents left, the situation went into another track.
Three of them ran towards her together, Beatrix dodged their attack one after another. Meanwhile, a small screech came behind her back.
"!Your Majesty!"
Instinctly she looked back. The man left was aiming at Garnet.
I have to save her! Just as she was whirling her body, she heard a sound of a sword going into the flesh. The sharp pain from her shoulder had an impact on the nervous system.
"Grrr."
Regained her balance once more, Beatrix grabbed the sword of the unconscious man on the ground, and spinned all of the three men's weapons away.
"Your Majesty!!"
Too late!
Garnet shut her eyes. Foreseeing the up-coming agony, she naturally wrapped her arms around her head. Unaware of her own voice, and yelled his name.
Zidane, who heard the screech, saw the picture of a man pushing his sword downwards towards the black haired maiden in his retina.
"Garnet!!"
------No!
From where Zidane was standing, they were far apart. From this distance, even if he threw his dagger it would be too late. The sharp object would already be in her body, creating a large amount of disgusting red on her snow white skin.
Even so, he accelerated without hesitation.
The scream of his name had reached him.
The sword flew down. Zidane bellowed.
"---Garnet!!!"
"Reply me, Ramuh!!"
The voice echoed at exactly the same time when their sight suddenly turned white. From the middle of the glow a god-like elder appeared. The elder lowered his staff to the man who held his sword against the girl.
That instant, the man screamed painfully.
A severe bolt of lightning directly hit his head. His body twitched awkwardly and he lost his consciousness.
The glow drew back. Along with it, the figure of the elder became dim.
"Garnet!"
Watching the dumbfounded sitting maiden beside the half dead man, Zidane ran to her.
"Zidane..."
"Garnet, are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?!"
Reassuring that her body was not injured, Zidane was relieved from head to toe. Hugging the dazing girl into his arm, he whispered "That was close.." from the bottom of his heart.
This was what was happening when the voice of a third person interjected.
"Sarah, let me see your right hand."
Kneeling down beside them,Yuju took Garnet's right hand.
Although Zidane did get pissed off and glared at him, he stopped himself from saying something and listened to Yuju's spell on healing the wound on Garnet's fingernail.
Yuju healed her wound with Cure.
"Any other wounds?"
In reaction of his inquiry with a smile, Garnet swallowed and nodded.
"But, despite me Beatrix is..."
I am well, answered Beatrix. She seemed that she used magic to cure herself, currently through the broken clothes the wound was merely bleeding a smidge, the previous big wound had vanished.
However, Zidane was preoccupied by something else and did not have the attention to notice it.
His eyes were focused on one point. The young man's hand that was STILL holding on to Garnet's hand.
Having the urge to push Yuju-who was holding Garnet's hand even though her wound was healed-away, Zidane obeyed his urge this time.
Whoosh.
"Whoa!"
Grabbing her hand from Yuju, and locked her inside his arms as if claiming that she was his.
"Zidane!"
Garnet retorted with a scarlet face. In her perspective, in front of all these people-in front of ALL the nobles in the gathering, Yuju and Beatrix-if anyone (especially Zidane) did this it would be more than reasonable to complain.
Nonetheless, like the other nobles did not even existed, Zidane pierced straight through Yuju's eyes, threatening.
Yuju chuckled.
"Hey, I'll just say it loud and clear now!"
Zidane took a big gulp of air in his lung. Then, using the volume enough to quake the entire lobby, he announced:
"I DON'T CARE IF GARNET IS YOUR CHILDHOOD FRIEND OR ANYTHING! I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HER EVEN A HAIR!"
.......The lobby went deadly silent after this.
"......."
Yuju did not say anything. Correction, COULDN'T say anything.
"Wha....Zidane!"
Garnet whined, her face like a tomato. But her face was against his chest, plus the whine was not loud enough to be heard.
Zidane stared at Yuju.
The word he spoke previously was not a threat or a joke. It was his heart. That was seriously what Zidane's heart was saying. That he would not give him even a hair.
Perhaps people would say that he had a small heart, but it could not be helped. Because it was his heart.
According to how he used Cure, called Garnet Sarah, and called on Ramuh, it was sure that he was her childhood friend. (It was still a mystery why could he use sword and be that good, well let's just leave this behind for now.)
He, although got an order to kill Garnet, saved her.
If he did not call on Ramuh, Garnet would practically be dead. But he saved her.
The reason was simple. Zidane knew. He did not want to kill her.
Zidane knew the moment he saw them together last night.
Yuju had the same feelings that Zidane had for Garnet.
Because of that, he was extra jealous.
Even though the opponent was her childhood friend, his heart was set.
He would not give her to anybody-anybody that loved her, or anybody who was trying to kill her. He would not allow them to even touch her hair, not saying her blemish-less skin.
The lobby was silent still.
It was Yuju's laughter that penetrated the silence.
"Ahahahahahaaha!"
He laughed too hard that his body curled, arms around his stomach folded it into two.
The laughter was so cheerful and amused that the nobles were beginning to panic.
Nevertheless, the one who was being laughed at did not think it was funny.
After Yuju had laughed his guts, arranging his breath,
"You are unexpectedly straightforward."
"And I'm serious."
"Ah, sorry, I laughed too hard. But I touch her just now."
"That was...! I'll pretend I didn't see that, but I won't forgive you next time."
Yuju chortled with amusement by Zidane's awkward expression.
"What are you going to do? Not forgive me."
"Do you want to do it now?"
"No, I’ll pass. My hand is still numb from what happened just now."
Really? Zidane examined his hand, it did not seem like so.
But with Yuju raising up his right hand to help him see better, it did had a bruise and a cut.
"Above all that....Your Majesty, I am truly sorry for what had happened. Please forgive us for our lack of security."
Kneeling down like an officer in front of Garnet, Yuju said. Garnet got free from Zidane's arms, and replied.
"I am not harmed. But please be more careful for the next few days. There will be punishment if this happens again."
"....Thank you."
To the merciful words, Yuju descended his head sincerely---.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 7
"Is it fun peeking at people’s rooms? Mr.Marcus...No, maybe I should call you Mr.Zidane?"
Yuju Kushuhal revealed the same smile that Zidane had seen when he first met him, kind and friendly.
"Yuju...."
Instead of astonishing by that fact that Yuju appeared and busted his identity, Zidane was more stunned by the scenario he just saw.
"......What is this....?"
He asked in daze.
"You saw it, didn't you?"
Yuju inquired back without changing his expression or being surprised.
While still in daze, Zidane nodded. He did not know what was happening.
"Why....."
Separating his back from the tree trunk, he jumped off. Although the height was equivalent to the height on the third floor, Zidane landed without a problem. But this was not important.
"What the hell is this!"
Zidane went towards Yuju, grasping his clothes on his chest, lifting him up and shouted.
"Why is it a puppet?!"
It was a puppet. Not a living woman, but a lifeless, motionless puppet.
The one that Kushuhal was holding lovingly with his arms in the dark, was a puppet that was made in human size. Even Zidane could tell through the faint light far away.
For the first time, Yuju's face changed, eyes dropped, smile gone, and eyebrows furrowed.
"Mother, Diana Kushuhal, died last year. ---After the invasion from Alexandria."
Zidane widened his eyes.
It's that time!
"She came to pick up my Father-----My Father did not know that my Mother had come, and they missed each other. It was when she was returning to Treno..."
Kushuhal, who had just lost his dearly beloved wife, roared in despair.
Why did she come!
Why didn't I wait for her!
Why couldn't I protect her!
Why-----!
"He did not sleep or eat for three days, kept screaming and crying. The doctors were forced to use medicine to make him fall asleep. Then the next day, when he woke up.."
[Yuju, is Diana still sleeping?]
Everybody who were there were surprised. They thought that he was sleeping too much.
"However, they were wrong. From that day, to my Father, Mother was only sleeping due to her disease."
The servants suffered and dropped tears to see their master's memory was twisted, made a lifelike puppet and led it lie there in order to make believe.
"From my Father's view now, that puppet is "Diana"."
"What....is...that..!"
It was extraordinary, insane. How could he, in exchange of his wife's death, replace her as a puppet !
"Why didn't you tell him the truth! That's just sick, isn't it?! Because she’s----dead!"
"......"
Yuju did not say anything. Silently, he closed his eyelids.
"That sick guy is seriously targeting on Alexandria....? Are you saying that HE is targeting on Garnet?!"
"-----...I got an order, from my Father."
"What?"
Zidane flinched instinctly. Due to Yuju's abrupt change in attitude.
His aura turned from friendly, to dreadful killing.
"!"
Yuju made his move first.
Clang!
The fierce sound echoed in the garden.
"Ngh.”
Defending himself by daggers from the sword that Yuju pulled out under his clothes, Zidane thought.
How powerful..!
It was almost as heavy as Beatrix or Steiner's sword.
No doubt, he's not a summoner!
Summoners and mages were from the same area. Mages could not possibly be this good at using weaponry.
Yuju was this powerful at using swords. Zidane knew perfectly well that he was not the childhood friend of Garnet----Summoners.
Zidane and Yuju were now glowering at each other face to face. Towards Zidane, who had to concentrate all his strength on defending himself, Yuju grinned victoriously.
"There are 2 orders. One, make Queen Garnet marry me."
"Wha....!"
Clang!
Zidane swung his daggers towards the sword, released himself, and attacked.
Nonetheless, Yuju blocked the dagger that he threw that him.
Again, they returned to the glowering situation.
"The other order was that--If the engagement was rejected, assassinate the Queen without anybody knowing."
"What?!"
"And, the Queen refused the offer today. That means, I have to eliminate the Queen."
"I won't let you!"
It was right when Zidane was truly provoked and tried to make an attempt to stab him.
----They heard a small screech of a female.
"!"
Zidane reacted immediately.
He could not had mistaken. That voice was...!
"Garnet!"
"!?"
Pushing the sword away without thinking, Zidane stormed out.
* * *
"Ugh…"
Beatrix fought desperately when the enemies revealed their sharp weapons and leaped on her.
She underestimated them too much..!
Garnet and Beatrix attended the gathering during the noon.
Although they entered the lobby, Kushuhal did not come out and welcome them as usual. As the nobles were starting to get confused, a bunch of men who looked no more than regular people dashed in. Not minding that all the nobles were witnesses, they attacked the Queen with threatening expressions, therefore making Beatrix shocked by their actions.
Though she was by Garnet's side as a guard, weapons were prohibited during the party, so she did not equip Save The Queen.
Neither Beatrix nor Garnet expected that they would be under attack with all these people.
While protecting Garnet with her back towards her, Beatrix clenched her teeth, sweat dripping down from her forehead.
Eight opponents. Even the greatest warrior of Alexandria was not certain whether or not she could defeat these weapon-equipped men with merely martial arts.
She kicked the stomach of one of the men who was going to slice her. She did not hold back her strength. Both Garnet and she would be in serious danger if she did.
Receiving kicks over and over again, the men went unconscious one by one. Nevertheless, when there were four opponents left, the situation went into another track.
Three of them ran towards her together, Beatrix dodged their attack one after another. Meanwhile, a small screech came behind her back.
"!Your Majesty!"
Instinctly she looked back. The man left was aiming at Garnet.
I have to save her! Just as she was whirling her body, she heard a sound of a sword going into the flesh. The sharp pain from her shoulder had an impact on the nervous system.
"Grrr."
Regained her balance once more, Beatrix grabbed the sword of the unconscious man on the ground, and spinned all of the three men's weapons away.
"Your Majesty!!"
Too late!
Garnet shut her eyes. Foreseeing the up-coming agony, she naturally wrapped her arms around her head. Unaware of her own voice, and yelled his name.
Zidane, who heard the screech, saw the picture of a man pushing his sword downwards towards the black haired maiden in his retina.
"Garnet!!"
------No!
From where Zidane was standing, they were far apart. From this distance, even if he threw his dagger it would be too late. The sharp object would already be in her body, creating a large amount of disgusting red on her snow white skin.
Even so, he accelerated without hesitation.
The scream of his name had reached him.
The sword flew down. Zidane bellowed.
"---Garnet!!!"
"Reply me, Ramuh!!"
The voice echoed at exactly the same time when their sight suddenly turned white. From the middle of the glow a god-like elder appeared. The elder lowered his staff to the man who held his sword against the girl.
That instant, the man screamed painfully.
A severe bolt of lightning directly hit his head. His body twitched awkwardly and he lost his consciousness.
The glow drew back. Along with it, the figure of the elder became dim.
"Garnet!"
Watching the dumbfounded sitting maiden beside the half dead man, Zidane ran to her.
"Zidane..."
"Garnet, are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?!"
Reassuring that her body was not injured, Zidane was relieved from head to toe. Hugging the dazing girl into his arm, he whispered "That was close.." from the bottom of his heart.
This was what was happening when the voice of a third person interjected.
"Sarah, let me see your right hand."
Kneeling down beside them,Yuju took Garnet's right hand.
Although Zidane did get pissed off and glared at him, he stopped himself from saying something and listened to Yuju's spell on healing the wound on Garnet's fingernail.
Yuju healed her wound with Cure.
"Any other wounds?"
In reaction of his inquiry with a smile, Garnet swallowed and nodded.
"But, despite me Beatrix is..."
I am well, answered Beatrix. She seemed that she used magic to cure herself, currently through the broken clothes the wound was merely bleeding a smidge, the previous big wound had vanished.
However, Zidane was preoccupied by something else and did not have the attention to notice it.
His eyes were focused on one point. The young man's hand that was STILL holding on to Garnet's hand.
Having the urge to push Yuju-who was holding Garnet's hand even though her wound was healed-away, Zidane obeyed his urge this time.
Whoosh.
"Whoa!"
Grabbing her hand from Yuju, and locked her inside his arms as if claiming that she was his.
"Zidane!"
Garnet retorted with a scarlet face. In her perspective, in front of all these people-in front of ALL the nobles in the gathering, Yuju and Beatrix-if anyone (especially Zidane) did this it would be more than reasonable to complain.
Nonetheless, like the other nobles did not even existed, Zidane pierced straight through Yuju's eyes, threatening.
Yuju chuckled.
"Hey, I'll just say it loud and clear now!"
Zidane took a big gulp of air in his lung. Then, using the volume enough to quake the entire lobby, he announced:
"I DON'T CARE IF GARNET IS YOUR CHILDHOOD FRIEND OR ANYTHING! I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HER EVEN A HAIR!"
.......The lobby went deadly silent after this.
"......."
Yuju did not say anything. Correction, COULDN'T say anything.
"Wha....Zidane!"
Garnet whined, her face like a tomato. But her face was against his chest, plus the whine was not loud enough to be heard.
Zidane stared at Yuju.
The word he spoke previously was not a threat or a joke. It was his heart. That was seriously what Zidane's heart was saying. That he would not give him even a hair.
Perhaps people would say that he had a small heart, but it could not be helped. Because it was his heart.
According to how he used Cure, called Garnet Sarah, and called on Ramuh, it was sure that he was her childhood friend. (It was still a mystery why could he use sword and be that good, well let's just leave this behind for now.)
He, although got an order to kill Garnet, saved her.
If he did not call on Ramuh, Garnet would practically be dead. But he saved her.
The reason was simple. Zidane knew. He did not want to kill her.
Zidane knew the moment he saw them together last night.
Yuju had the same feelings that Zidane had for Garnet.
Because of that, he was extra jealous.
Even though the opponent was her childhood friend, his heart was set.
He would not give her to anybody-anybody that loved her, or anybody who was trying to kill her. He would not allow them to even touch her hair, not saying her blemish-less skin.
The lobby was silent still.
It was Yuju's laughter that penetrated the silence.
"Ahahahahahaaha!"
He laughed too hard that his body curled, arms around his stomach folded it into two.
The laughter was so cheerful and amused that the nobles were beginning to panic.
Nevertheless, the one who was being laughed at did not think it was funny.
After Yuju had laughed his guts, arranging his breath,
"You are unexpectedly straightforward."
"And I'm serious."
"Ah, sorry, I laughed too hard. But I touch her just now."
"That was...! I'll pretend I didn't see that, but I won't forgive you next time."
Yuju chortled with amusement by Zidane's awkward expression.
"What are you going to do? Not forgive me."
"Do you want to do it now?"
"No, I’ll pass. My hand is still numb from what happened just now."
Really? Zidane examined his hand, it did not seem like so.
But with Yuju raising up his right hand to help him see better, it did had a bruise and a cut.
"Above all that....Your Majesty, I am truly sorry for what had happened. Please forgive us for our lack of security."
Kneeling down like an officer in front of Garnet, Yuju said. Garnet got free from Zidane's arms, and replied.
"I am not harmed. But please be more careful for the next few days. There will be punishment if this happens again."
"....Thank you."
To the merciful words, Yuju descended his head sincerely---.
Frantic Feast Chapter 6
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY IN JAPANESE!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 6
It was the maid's responsibility to help the Queen change her clothes.
Everyday in the morning, going into the Queen's room, and greet her good morning. Usually, the Queen would be up, looking at her, smiling and saying good morning back. Then, while doing some random chats, the maid would comb her hair, and embellish the Queen into her most beautiful form. She (the maid) loved this period of time.
However, today, the Queen was more different than usual.
When Beatrix and the maids entered the room in the morning, Her Majesty had already washed up herself, and was sitting on a chair, considering about something.
Although as they greeted her she beamed and replied, Garnet did not seem happy.
Even the kind expression on her face was wavering.
As the maids were examining her with worried eyes, Beatrix went towards Garnet bravely.
"Your Majesty, Today we would have a meeting with Mr. Kushuhal? Do you approve?"
".....Tell him that I accept."
Nodding, Beatrix exited her room.
Lowering her head slightly, Garnet's head twisted to the maids.
"You can too relax in your rooms until today's gathering at noon. Thank you."
If the Queen said so, no one could disobey her. Though they kept turning their heads around due to concern, the servant walked out without a complaint.
"Um.....Your Majesty. If something happens, please call on us, okay?"
The last maid said before she shut the door. Garnet smiled, said thank you, and watched them leave.
Her wall were decorated by a lot of candles, the candlelight ignited the room.
In addition, the table in front of the chair that Garnet was sitting on had a candle as well.
The flame of that candle was flickering.
Gazing into the fire, Garnet's chin touched her neck.
[Let me protect "the place that I belong to"...let me protect you......please...]
[I am here. I will protect Sarah.]
[.....!Whatever...!]
[......It hurt, didn't it?]
[......The boy accepted the agony quickly. He believed that this too, was a punishment for not able to protect the girl..]
"......."
Inside her heart, she gently called the name of the two young men that burned her chest.
One of the young men that burned her chest responded her as soon as she called, and the other one.....would not answer her.
[......!Whatever...!]
The farewell.
That, in the result, might be best.
The thing that Alexandria was seeking for the most, was the money that would rebuild, maintain, and amend the country. If she marries Alexend---Yuju, the fee would be mostly paid. She was the Queen of Alexandria, therefore she had the obligation to recover and develope her own region.
If she marries Alexend, everything would be fine.
Garnet opened her eyes, looking into the flames.
They did not flicker anymore.
* * *
The meeting was held in a guest room-like place.
When Garnet entered the room, Kushuhal who was waiting for her, rose up and greeted her with arms stretched out.
"This way."
(Garnet)Being urged onto the sofa, Beatrix stood behind it.
Kushuhal sat on a sofa on the opposite side also, they were in a face-to-face position now.
"How is it? Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I slept like a baby."
Truthfully she did not sleep at all, but it was unlikely to speak the fact. She said the most polite response.
"My apologies for my son and my wife who are not present today. About one year ago, my wife became sick. She is currently sleeping on her bed, not able to recover."
"Well, you wife..."
"Yes, just in case she wakes up, my son is always there beside her. It could not be done by the servants."
Kushuhal's face which seemed to be solemn, when talking about his wife he was smiling like never before. Garnet felt the love within him, and narrowed her eyes.
"Okay, today's topic would be about my son, Yuju Kushuhal."
Kushuhal returned to his original poker face. Garnet, as well, hearing those words, and descended her face.
"I suppose you know him from yesterday's dance."
Although she thought that she had known him too well, she could not tell Kushuhal about it.
Garnet stared at her hands that were on her legs.
"Yuju had grown so much that I do not think of him as my son. How is this? If you are fine with it, please engage with my son."
For Alexandria, this marriage would be more fascinating than anything, wouldn't it?
Adding those words in the end, she saw Kushuhal peeking at her expression closely.
For Alexandria---------
Garnet close her eyes once.
She was conscious about it.
The answer was already decided.
Taking a deep breath.
Slowly rolling her eyelids up, she pierced through Kushuhal's pupils.
Parting her lips, speaking her mind.
"Unfortunately, I have to refuse this betrothal."
Garnet observed Kushuhal when he bugged his eyes.
"I am truly sorry. But you son would be such a waste on me. Please forgive me."
Stood up, and bowed deeply. Towards Kushuhal who was cherishing his son, and to Alexend who had always thought of Sarah.
".....I am, sorry."
Meanwhile, Garnet whispered "I just can't" in her mind.
"Then, excuse me."
This time she did the cutesy lightly, and exited the room. Beatrix followed.
Kushuhal, left behind alone in the room, dazed into the air temporarily.
To him, he could not hear the echoing footsteps from the hallway that was fading away.
"Ha...haha..."
Afterwards, the laughter leaked out of his lips. The eyes were still widened. There was no twinkle in them.
"Ha....hahahahahahhaahahahahahahaha!!!"
Crackle. He crackled as if he had lost his mind. Crackling from his stomach.
"Ha, haha, hahahahahaha! Is she....is she rejecting my brilliant plan??!"
Stood up. Within the dark room, he staggered towards the shelf full of art pieces like pots and sculptures, thrusting one of the pots onto the ground.
Bang! The pot fell into pieces with a sound.
"Is she rejecting my brilliant plan?????!"
He kept throwing the decorations on the shelf. There were broken pieces scattered around everywhere, on the wall, as well as the floor.
Even though the sharp pieces scratched through his skin, he did not stop.
The candlelight was bigger.
From the corner of the room, one butterfly fluttered out of the window.
Kushuhal was unaware of it.
"Diana....."
After all the things in the room were crashed and he had nothing to destroy, Kushuhal murmured and walked out as if he was a ghost.-------
* * *
"You Majesty, is it really okay?"
It was when they had reached her own room, Beatrix spoke up.
Turning back to her, Garnet grinned bitterly.
"...I am not qualified to be a Queen."
As the Queen of Alexandria, she should have received that offer.
Nevertheless, she refused.
"Um, is it fine? Master Yuju is Your Majesty's...."
This time it was Garnet's turn to be surprised.
"Beatrix, yesterday you..."
"......I did not think it would be safe for Your Majesty to go out alone..... Um, I did not intend to eavesdrop the conversation.."
Beatrix shut her eyes, apologizing.
Garnet blew the air in her lungs out quietly.
"....If I marry Yuju now, I would be sympathizing him."
"Your Majesty."
At the end of Beatrix's sight, Garnet shook her head.
"It was too late..... I already chose Zidane. I wouldn't be [myself] without Zidane...."
It had to be Zidane.
Even if one day she had to be someone else's wife as a [Queen], [herself] was with Zidane. It had to be him.
"If I accept this marriage with Yuju, I would be sympathizing him. I will hurt him. Because of me, he left his home behind, dumped his horn, and hurt himself like that. How can I possibly marry this person who cherished me so much with just sympathy...?"
"Your Majesty.."
I'm sorry, she susurrated softly in her heart.
Not to Beatrix, but the young man who was alone in the dark.
* * *
Because Treno had no daylight, it was easy to hide a person in the dark.
While gazing at the big tower with lights far away, Zidane blanked out.
He had currently climbed up the big tree planted inside the garden of the Kushuhal Palace, sat on a steady branch, his back to the trunk.
Staring at the lights in Treno, Zidane sighed.
What is Garnet doing now..?
The sigh would come out every time he thinks about last night.
Practically, he was pathetic. So pathetic that he buried his forehead in his hand.
[.....!Whatever...]
Throwing off a word like that, he escaped to here and stayed here the entire time.
Garnet merely wanted to determine her hope.
Whether or not her childhood friend had really died.
Even his head understood, he could not stop his mouth.
"I...never knew I’m so possessive.."
Again, a super big sigh. Perhaps it was better not to know this side of him.
"This is a disaster..."
After all, the opponent was well known to all countries, not only within Alexandria. Due to her beauty beyond this world, his enemy could be more than a million people. Because of that, he was always drowning in the benefit of able to keep her for himself.
...And now they had a fight.
If while he was out here, she accepted the marriage.......his heart fills with uneasiness just thinking about it. That luscious black hair, that snow white soft skin, the red lips, that person would have the right of touch them-----The jealousy would go frantic just thinking about it.
"Damn it...!"
[If it is Her Majesty and Mr.Yuju, both in high society...]
That was right. Yuju was suitable with Garnet. He was not.
If he had the power like Yuju from the very beginning, he would not be here worrying sick about her so much. If he had the power...!
But----
As the thought reached to this point, it self-destructed.
But----because he was a thief, he met her, in that situation-----
If he was not a thief, if it was not for Tantalus, he would not had met her.
--------[Can you please kidnap me at this instant?]
His expression softened as he recalled the times when he first met her and she was desperately trying to save her country.
Although knowing nothing about the world, she was serious, every time he looked at her, he felt so delighted that he could forget the tough situation in that time.
[Please, please come back...!]
The Garnet who fought to smile that day. He protected his promise and struggled to survive, and returned to her. ....--She waited for him.
He was certain that he would never forget her face which leaped into him while weeping, that smile when she greeted him home.
Same as the memory, this feeling would not arrive to an end. Undoubtedly, this warmth in his heart, would never cool down.
He only desired one person.
Not [The Queen of Alexandria].
Merely, [Garnet].
Only one person, only her.
Zidane shifted his focus into the mansion.
His sensitive senses felt something.
He squinted the room inside the palace. Although it was dark, he would not be a Tantalus if he was not even capable to see through the darkness.
There was a man.
That is..---
He had seen him before. According to his back, it was definitely Kushuhal.
Huh? Is this that old man's room?
Tilting his head wondering, Kushuhal headed to the bed in the middle of the room, and unzipped the curtain surrounding it.
What is this?
It seemed like that there was someone lying on the bed, he saw a strange curve in it.
Could it be that old man's wife's room?
If it was true, it would be not good for him to watch. Thinking like that, it was right when Zidane was about to look away.
Kushuhal supported the upper body of that person up, embracing her. That moment the candlelight shone on her face, that woman's eyes looked at him.
----------That is!
As he was about to yell, Zidane felt a presence under the tree.
It was too late.
The person noticed him.
He could not escape.
"Is it fun peeking at people's rooms? Mr. Marcus-No, maybe I should call you Mr.Zidane?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 6
It was the maid's responsibility to help the Queen change her clothes.
Everyday in the morning, going into the Queen's room, and greet her good morning. Usually, the Queen would be up, looking at her, smiling and saying good morning back. Then, while doing some random chats, the maid would comb her hair, and embellish the Queen into her most beautiful form. She (the maid) loved this period of time.
However, today, the Queen was more different than usual.
When Beatrix and the maids entered the room in the morning, Her Majesty had already washed up herself, and was sitting on a chair, considering about something.
Although as they greeted her she beamed and replied, Garnet did not seem happy.
Even the kind expression on her face was wavering.
As the maids were examining her with worried eyes, Beatrix went towards Garnet bravely.
"Your Majesty, Today we would have a meeting with Mr. Kushuhal? Do you approve?"
".....Tell him that I accept."
Nodding, Beatrix exited her room.
Lowering her head slightly, Garnet's head twisted to the maids.
"You can too relax in your rooms until today's gathering at noon. Thank you."
If the Queen said so, no one could disobey her. Though they kept turning their heads around due to concern, the servant walked out without a complaint.
"Um.....Your Majesty. If something happens, please call on us, okay?"
The last maid said before she shut the door. Garnet smiled, said thank you, and watched them leave.
Her wall were decorated by a lot of candles, the candlelight ignited the room.
In addition, the table in front of the chair that Garnet was sitting on had a candle as well.
The flame of that candle was flickering.
Gazing into the fire, Garnet's chin touched her neck.
[Let me protect "the place that I belong to"...let me protect you......please...]
[I am here. I will protect Sarah.]
[.....!Whatever...!]
[......It hurt, didn't it?]
[......The boy accepted the agony quickly. He believed that this too, was a punishment for not able to protect the girl..]
"......."
Inside her heart, she gently called the name of the two young men that burned her chest.
One of the young men that burned her chest responded her as soon as she called, and the other one.....would not answer her.
[......!Whatever...!]
The farewell.
That, in the result, might be best.
The thing that Alexandria was seeking for the most, was the money that would rebuild, maintain, and amend the country. If she marries Alexend---Yuju, the fee would be mostly paid. She was the Queen of Alexandria, therefore she had the obligation to recover and develope her own region.
If she marries Alexend, everything would be fine.
Garnet opened her eyes, looking into the flames.
They did not flicker anymore.
* * *
The meeting was held in a guest room-like place.
When Garnet entered the room, Kushuhal who was waiting for her, rose up and greeted her with arms stretched out.
"This way."
(Garnet)Being urged onto the sofa, Beatrix stood behind it.
Kushuhal sat on a sofa on the opposite side also, they were in a face-to-face position now.
"How is it? Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I slept like a baby."
Truthfully she did not sleep at all, but it was unlikely to speak the fact. She said the most polite response.
"My apologies for my son and my wife who are not present today. About one year ago, my wife became sick. She is currently sleeping on her bed, not able to recover."
"Well, you wife..."
"Yes, just in case she wakes up, my son is always there beside her. It could not be done by the servants."
Kushuhal's face which seemed to be solemn, when talking about his wife he was smiling like never before. Garnet felt the love within him, and narrowed her eyes.
"Okay, today's topic would be about my son, Yuju Kushuhal."
Kushuhal returned to his original poker face. Garnet, as well, hearing those words, and descended her face.
"I suppose you know him from yesterday's dance."
Although she thought that she had known him too well, she could not tell Kushuhal about it.
Garnet stared at her hands that were on her legs.
"Yuju had grown so much that I do not think of him as my son. How is this? If you are fine with it, please engage with my son."
For Alexandria, this marriage would be more fascinating than anything, wouldn't it?
Adding those words in the end, she saw Kushuhal peeking at her expression closely.
For Alexandria---------
Garnet close her eyes once.
She was conscious about it.
The answer was already decided.
Taking a deep breath.
Slowly rolling her eyelids up, she pierced through Kushuhal's pupils.
Parting her lips, speaking her mind.
"Unfortunately, I have to refuse this betrothal."
Garnet observed Kushuhal when he bugged his eyes.
"I am truly sorry. But you son would be such a waste on me. Please forgive me."
Stood up, and bowed deeply. Towards Kushuhal who was cherishing his son, and to Alexend who had always thought of Sarah.
".....I am, sorry."
Meanwhile, Garnet whispered "I just can't" in her mind.
"Then, excuse me."
This time she did the cutesy lightly, and exited the room. Beatrix followed.
Kushuhal, left behind alone in the room, dazed into the air temporarily.
To him, he could not hear the echoing footsteps from the hallway that was fading away.
"Ha...haha..."
Afterwards, the laughter leaked out of his lips. The eyes were still widened. There was no twinkle in them.
"Ha....hahahahahahhaahahahahahahaha!!!"
Crackle. He crackled as if he had lost his mind. Crackling from his stomach.
"Ha, haha, hahahahahaha! Is she....is she rejecting my brilliant plan??!"
Stood up. Within the dark room, he staggered towards the shelf full of art pieces like pots and sculptures, thrusting one of the pots onto the ground.
Bang! The pot fell into pieces with a sound.
"Is she rejecting my brilliant plan?????!"
He kept throwing the decorations on the shelf. There were broken pieces scattered around everywhere, on the wall, as well as the floor.
Even though the sharp pieces scratched through his skin, he did not stop.
The candlelight was bigger.
From the corner of the room, one butterfly fluttered out of the window.
Kushuhal was unaware of it.
"Diana....."
After all the things in the room were crashed and he had nothing to destroy, Kushuhal murmured and walked out as if he was a ghost.-------
* * *
"You Majesty, is it really okay?"
It was when they had reached her own room, Beatrix spoke up.
Turning back to her, Garnet grinned bitterly.
"...I am not qualified to be a Queen."
As the Queen of Alexandria, she should have received that offer.
Nevertheless, she refused.
"Um, is it fine? Master Yuju is Your Majesty's...."
This time it was Garnet's turn to be surprised.
"Beatrix, yesterday you..."
"......I did not think it would be safe for Your Majesty to go out alone..... Um, I did not intend to eavesdrop the conversation.."
Beatrix shut her eyes, apologizing.
Garnet blew the air in her lungs out quietly.
"....If I marry Yuju now, I would be sympathizing him."
"Your Majesty."
At the end of Beatrix's sight, Garnet shook her head.
"It was too late..... I already chose Zidane. I wouldn't be [myself] without Zidane...."
It had to be Zidane.
Even if one day she had to be someone else's wife as a [Queen], [herself] was with Zidane. It had to be him.
"If I accept this marriage with Yuju, I would be sympathizing him. I will hurt him. Because of me, he left his home behind, dumped his horn, and hurt himself like that. How can I possibly marry this person who cherished me so much with just sympathy...?"
"Your Majesty.."
I'm sorry, she susurrated softly in her heart.
Not to Beatrix, but the young man who was alone in the dark.
* * *
Because Treno had no daylight, it was easy to hide a person in the dark.
While gazing at the big tower with lights far away, Zidane blanked out.
He had currently climbed up the big tree planted inside the garden of the Kushuhal Palace, sat on a steady branch, his back to the trunk.
Staring at the lights in Treno, Zidane sighed.
What is Garnet doing now..?
The sigh would come out every time he thinks about last night.
Practically, he was pathetic. So pathetic that he buried his forehead in his hand.
[.....!Whatever...]
Throwing off a word like that, he escaped to here and stayed here the entire time.
Garnet merely wanted to determine her hope.
Whether or not her childhood friend had really died.
Even his head understood, he could not stop his mouth.
"I...never knew I’m so possessive.."
Again, a super big sigh. Perhaps it was better not to know this side of him.
"This is a disaster..."
After all, the opponent was well known to all countries, not only within Alexandria. Due to her beauty beyond this world, his enemy could be more than a million people. Because of that, he was always drowning in the benefit of able to keep her for himself.
...And now they had a fight.
If while he was out here, she accepted the marriage.......his heart fills with uneasiness just thinking about it. That luscious black hair, that snow white soft skin, the red lips, that person would have the right of touch them-----The jealousy would go frantic just thinking about it.
"Damn it...!"
[If it is Her Majesty and Mr.Yuju, both in high society...]
That was right. Yuju was suitable with Garnet. He was not.
If he had the power like Yuju from the very beginning, he would not be here worrying sick about her so much. If he had the power...!
But----
As the thought reached to this point, it self-destructed.
But----because he was a thief, he met her, in that situation-----
If he was not a thief, if it was not for Tantalus, he would not had met her.
--------[Can you please kidnap me at this instant?]
His expression softened as he recalled the times when he first met her and she was desperately trying to save her country.
Although knowing nothing about the world, she was serious, every time he looked at her, he felt so delighted that he could forget the tough situation in that time.
[Please, please come back...!]
The Garnet who fought to smile that day. He protected his promise and struggled to survive, and returned to her. ....--She waited for him.
He was certain that he would never forget her face which leaped into him while weeping, that smile when she greeted him home.
Same as the memory, this feeling would not arrive to an end. Undoubtedly, this warmth in his heart, would never cool down.
He only desired one person.
Not [The Queen of Alexandria].
Merely, [Garnet].
Only one person, only her.
Zidane shifted his focus into the mansion.
His sensitive senses felt something.
He squinted the room inside the palace. Although it was dark, he would not be a Tantalus if he was not even capable to see through the darkness.
There was a man.
That is..---
He had seen him before. According to his back, it was definitely Kushuhal.
Huh? Is this that old man's room?
Tilting his head wondering, Kushuhal headed to the bed in the middle of the room, and unzipped the curtain surrounding it.
What is this?
It seemed like that there was someone lying on the bed, he saw a strange curve in it.
Could it be that old man's wife's room?
If it was true, it would be not good for him to watch. Thinking like that, it was right when Zidane was about to look away.
Kushuhal supported the upper body of that person up, embracing her. That moment the candlelight shone on her face, that woman's eyes looked at him.
----------That is!
As he was about to yell, Zidane felt a presence under the tree.
It was too late.
The person noticed him.
He could not escape.
"Is it fun peeking at people's rooms? Mr. Marcus-No, maybe I should call you Mr.Zidane?"
Frantic Feast Chapter 5
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY IN JAPANESE!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 5
"Zidane..?"
Garnet realized that this was not the usual Zidane, and inquired carefully. While trapping her in his arms, Zidane asked her one more time.
"What did you talk about?"
Garnet was now afraid of the peculiar Zidane.
"N-Nothing really...."
It was true. They did not talk about anything significant.
"He, looks exactly like the friend I used to have in Madain Sari. So...."
Saying that, a realization hit her.
So------What was she going to do?
Talk about her past with a person who was a stranger?
Pressing their shadows together, what was she intending to do?
"I heard that the remaining villagers in Madain Sari are only you and Eiko. Isn't he another person?"
"H....."
Yes, a stranger. Not Alexend, not possible.
Nonetheless, because they looked too much alike, she hallucinated. She was hoping that he had survived.
No...I don't know yet....
Perhaps he DID manage to get through that storm. Perhaps something happened, and he ended up being Kushuhal's adopted son.
Garnet wanted to know. Whether or not Yuju and Kushuhal were related.
"Garnet. Don't get close to him. He is Kushuhal's son, he is aiming for your crown."
In reaction of the words, Garnet shook her head tacitly.
Zidane grimaced. But Garnet, whose face was against his chest, did not notice.
"I'm going to ask him."
"Garnet!"
"I'll see him for one more time."
She said with determination.
She wanted to know who he was.
Then, Garnet felt the arms around her stiffened.
"......! Whatever...!"
Feeling that that word was spit out through his grinding teeth, the warmth disappeared.
Pulling away from Garnet, Zidane turned his back on her, heading for the window.
"Zidane!"
Although she called, the figure already vanished from her sight.
"........"
...Was he angry...?
It was different, she merely wanted to know, she did not mean to make him angry.
".....Zidane....."
Garnet froze temporarily, staring at the window where Zidane had left.
Though, soon as if made up her mind, she pulled on her coat, and gently walked out of her room.
* * *
There were two guards outside of the room, restlessly guarding their favorite Queen.
Nevertheless, it seemed like Beatrix was in her room sleeping, she was not there.
Garnet tweaked the door open for only a small crack, and the guards yawned.
"Oh.....? Some-how.....I am....sl...sleepy..."
"Me too....but.....no! I...can't...fall..."
One of the guards-who was going to fall struggled to support himself but fell onto the ground. As for the other one, he already fell asleep while still standing, leaning against the wall.
Garnet shut the door quickly and rushed out.
The soft carpeted floor hid her footsteps perfectly. Soundlessly, she went downstairs.
After going downstairs, there should be a gate if she goes through the hallway. At the other side of the gate, she would be outside.
Gripping those two handles on the either side of the gate, Garnet applied some force onto the steady gate, and obediently, it opened.
The wind during late spring was chilly, Garnet pulled her coat closer to her body.
Separated from the dark hallway, she strolled on the beautiful garden.
Garnet was trying hard to be cautious and not to psych the guards.
Then, pacing several times more, she was basically on the outside edge of the garden. Although it was not as wide as the one she had in Alexandria, it was certainly in good hands.
There were roses everywhere, and the entire garden was designed like a simple maze. Overall, it was very intriguing.
A pavilion was standing right in the middle of the garden, so Garnet went there.
When you scrutinize it carefully, the roof and the pillars were carved exquisitely. Sitting on the wooden bench inside it, Garnet looked blankly into mid-air.
Somehow she had a feeling.
If she goes outside, she would see someone.
She did not know who.
Maybe it was just a sense that did not have any logic base.
"-----....Sitting here in the dark without any servants, did something happen...?"
Well, seemed like she was correct.
Faint footsteps were approaching her.
The figure that appeared under the moonlight, was Yuju.
Garnet's pupils fixed on him. He was in his tux also.
"May I sit beside you?"
Receiving her permission, Yuju settled by her side.
".....I assume you cannot sleep?"
"Yes."
Garnet replied, considering how to mention the topic.
Hypothetically, even if she asked directly like:"Are you Alexend?", it was unlikely for him to answer:"Yes, I am.". However, she could not find another way to........
"Let me tell you an interesting story."
"Yes?"
Not able to grasp Yuju's sudden words, Garnet transferred her descended eyes to him instinctly.
Yuju's irises were facing towards somewhere far far away.
"It was a story about a useless boy....who was incapable to protect a girl who was important to him."
Yuju sent a beam towards the confused Garnet, and began to speak the tale.
".....The boy was living happily in a village that had no war, a village full of peace."
To that little boy, there was a girl, who he saw as treasure. The girl was always sticking with him, together they played from day to night.
"...The little girl used to be cheerful, but because other guys picked on her a lot, she gradually became scared to go out alone. If the boy was with her, she would go outside... That girl was so lovely, and the boy cherished her as [a thing that he should protect]. The girl would be vulnerable without him. ....No matter what happens, he will be by her side.....the boy, although young, promised to himself."
Nonetheless, the day of destiny came without a warning.
"A strong storm attacked the village, almost half of the people were killed."
The boy, within the severe wind and the fiery flames, searched for the girl desperately. He went to her house and the place that belonged to them, searching for her with dying will. ....But the girl was nowhere to be found. And the boy, while seeking for her, became the victim of the collapsing woods.
".....And then, after he finally woke up by the adults' care, he heard that the girl escaped inside a boat with her mother."
The boy painfully realized how powerless he was.
Not able to save the girl in the storm, letting her go into the dangerous ocean.
He finally knew how tiny he was in this enormous planet.
In addition, though he thought that the girl could not be left alone, he was both stunned and angry when he knew that, it was actually HIM who needed a friend.
"The boy cursed himself. He wanted power. Then..a few months after the storm, the boy went on a quest for the girl."
He floated on the ocean. The food and drinks ran out a while later. The boy almost passed out for who knows how many times. Going through the days like that, he finally reached a harbor.
"The boy was picked up by two people, and became their adopted child. For the cost, a part of his body was taken away."
"A part of his body....?"
Garnet inquired absent mindedly.
Yuju smiled bitterly, and stood up. He bleakly stretched out his hand towards her. Then, he asked heartachingly.
"It hurt, didn't it..?"
Yuju's fingers touched Garnet's forehead softly.
It was where her horn was, before her parents chopped it off.
Garnet gazed at him tranquilly with eyes slightly widened.
".......The boy soon accepted the agony. He believed that this too, was a punishment for not able to protect the girl."
Yuju closed his eyelids when saying that.
Was she hallucinating that he looked like that he was crying..?
Revealing his irises to her once more, he said solitarily.
"It was a tale....of a fragile boy."
Garnet parted her lips without thinking, about to call [his] name.
But, it was blocked under his fingers.
My apologies for the long story, he murmured.
"Good night...----Have a good dream."
Grinning, Yuju drew back his hand.
He took off his jacket, put it on Garnet's shoulder, and walked away.
Instinctly Garnet darted up.
"Alexend...!"
Calling [his] name.
He paused for a second, smiled at her with sorrow through his shoulder, began to walk again.
Garnet stood there inside the bushes.
Pulling down her eyebrows, she watched him leave.
Her heart, was prickling..
Tranquilly, she felt that a blow of wind was invading into her heart----------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 5
"Zidane..?"
Garnet realized that this was not the usual Zidane, and inquired carefully. While trapping her in his arms, Zidane asked her one more time.
"What did you talk about?"
Garnet was now afraid of the peculiar Zidane.
"N-Nothing really...."
It was true. They did not talk about anything significant.
"He, looks exactly like the friend I used to have in Madain Sari. So...."
Saying that, a realization hit her.
So------What was she going to do?
Talk about her past with a person who was a stranger?
Pressing their shadows together, what was she intending to do?
"I heard that the remaining villagers in Madain Sari are only you and Eiko. Isn't he another person?"
"H....."
Yes, a stranger. Not Alexend, not possible.
Nonetheless, because they looked too much alike, she hallucinated. She was hoping that he had survived.
No...I don't know yet....
Perhaps he DID manage to get through that storm. Perhaps something happened, and he ended up being Kushuhal's adopted son.
Garnet wanted to know. Whether or not Yuju and Kushuhal were related.
"Garnet. Don't get close to him. He is Kushuhal's son, he is aiming for your crown."
In reaction of the words, Garnet shook her head tacitly.
Zidane grimaced. But Garnet, whose face was against his chest, did not notice.
"I'm going to ask him."
"Garnet!"
"I'll see him for one more time."
She said with determination.
She wanted to know who he was.
Then, Garnet felt the arms around her stiffened.
"......! Whatever...!"
Feeling that that word was spit out through his grinding teeth, the warmth disappeared.
Pulling away from Garnet, Zidane turned his back on her, heading for the window.
"Zidane!"
Although she called, the figure already vanished from her sight.
"........"
...Was he angry...?
It was different, she merely wanted to know, she did not mean to make him angry.
".....Zidane....."
Garnet froze temporarily, staring at the window where Zidane had left.
Though, soon as if made up her mind, she pulled on her coat, and gently walked out of her room.
* * *
There were two guards outside of the room, restlessly guarding their favorite Queen.
Nevertheless, it seemed like Beatrix was in her room sleeping, she was not there.
Garnet tweaked the door open for only a small crack, and the guards yawned.
"Oh.....? Some-how.....I am....sl...sleepy..."
"Me too....but.....no! I...can't...fall..."
One of the guards-who was going to fall struggled to support himself but fell onto the ground. As for the other one, he already fell asleep while still standing, leaning against the wall.
Garnet shut the door quickly and rushed out.
The soft carpeted floor hid her footsteps perfectly. Soundlessly, she went downstairs.
After going downstairs, there should be a gate if she goes through the hallway. At the other side of the gate, she would be outside.
Gripping those two handles on the either side of the gate, Garnet applied some force onto the steady gate, and obediently, it opened.
The wind during late spring was chilly, Garnet pulled her coat closer to her body.
Separated from the dark hallway, she strolled on the beautiful garden.
Garnet was trying hard to be cautious and not to psych the guards.
Then, pacing several times more, she was basically on the outside edge of the garden. Although it was not as wide as the one she had in Alexandria, it was certainly in good hands.
There were roses everywhere, and the entire garden was designed like a simple maze. Overall, it was very intriguing.
A pavilion was standing right in the middle of the garden, so Garnet went there.
When you scrutinize it carefully, the roof and the pillars were carved exquisitely. Sitting on the wooden bench inside it, Garnet looked blankly into mid-air.
Somehow she had a feeling.
If she goes outside, she would see someone.
She did not know who.
Maybe it was just a sense that did not have any logic base.
"-----....Sitting here in the dark without any servants, did something happen...?"
Well, seemed like she was correct.
Faint footsteps were approaching her.
The figure that appeared under the moonlight, was Yuju.
Garnet's pupils fixed on him. He was in his tux also.
"May I sit beside you?"
Receiving her permission, Yuju settled by her side.
".....I assume you cannot sleep?"
"Yes."
Garnet replied, considering how to mention the topic.
Hypothetically, even if she asked directly like:"Are you Alexend?", it was unlikely for him to answer:"Yes, I am.". However, she could not find another way to........
"Let me tell you an interesting story."
"Yes?"
Not able to grasp Yuju's sudden words, Garnet transferred her descended eyes to him instinctly.
Yuju's irises were facing towards somewhere far far away.
"It was a story about a useless boy....who was incapable to protect a girl who was important to him."
Yuju sent a beam towards the confused Garnet, and began to speak the tale.
".....The boy was living happily in a village that had no war, a village full of peace."
To that little boy, there was a girl, who he saw as treasure. The girl was always sticking with him, together they played from day to night.
"...The little girl used to be cheerful, but because other guys picked on her a lot, she gradually became scared to go out alone. If the boy was with her, she would go outside... That girl was so lovely, and the boy cherished her as [a thing that he should protect]. The girl would be vulnerable without him. ....No matter what happens, he will be by her side.....the boy, although young, promised to himself."
Nonetheless, the day of destiny came without a warning.
"A strong storm attacked the village, almost half of the people were killed."
The boy, within the severe wind and the fiery flames, searched for the girl desperately. He went to her house and the place that belonged to them, searching for her with dying will. ....But the girl was nowhere to be found. And the boy, while seeking for her, became the victim of the collapsing woods.
".....And then, after he finally woke up by the adults' care, he heard that the girl escaped inside a boat with her mother."
The boy painfully realized how powerless he was.
Not able to save the girl in the storm, letting her go into the dangerous ocean.
He finally knew how tiny he was in this enormous planet.
In addition, though he thought that the girl could not be left alone, he was both stunned and angry when he knew that, it was actually HIM who needed a friend.
"The boy cursed himself. He wanted power. Then..a few months after the storm, the boy went on a quest for the girl."
He floated on the ocean. The food and drinks ran out a while later. The boy almost passed out for who knows how many times. Going through the days like that, he finally reached a harbor.
"The boy was picked up by two people, and became their adopted child. For the cost, a part of his body was taken away."
"A part of his body....?"
Garnet inquired absent mindedly.
Yuju smiled bitterly, and stood up. He bleakly stretched out his hand towards her. Then, he asked heartachingly.
"It hurt, didn't it..?"
Yuju's fingers touched Garnet's forehead softly.
It was where her horn was, before her parents chopped it off.
Garnet gazed at him tranquilly with eyes slightly widened.
".......The boy soon accepted the agony. He believed that this too, was a punishment for not able to protect the girl."
Yuju closed his eyelids when saying that.
Was she hallucinating that he looked like that he was crying..?
Revealing his irises to her once more, he said solitarily.
"It was a tale....of a fragile boy."
Garnet parted her lips without thinking, about to call [his] name.
But, it was blocked under his fingers.
My apologies for the long story, he murmured.
"Good night...----Have a good dream."
Grinning, Yuju drew back his hand.
He took off his jacket, put it on Garnet's shoulder, and walked away.
Instinctly Garnet darted up.
"Alexend...!"
Calling [his] name.
He paused for a second, smiled at her with sorrow through his shoulder, began to walk again.
Garnet stood there inside the bushes.
Pulling down her eyebrows, she watched him leave.
Her heart, was prickling..
Tranquilly, she felt that a blow of wind was invading into her heart----------------
Frantic Feast Chapter 4
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL STORY IN JAPANESE!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 4
The Kushuhal hosted party was extravagant that day.
The Treno nobles who heard that the Queen of Alexandria was coming, were all gathered around in Kushuhal's lobby, dressing as formal as possible. Of course part of the reason was to see the historical beauty in Alexandria, but mostly they were curious about what was going to happen between her and the son of Kushuhal.
The moment that the Queen of Alexandria entered from the stairs, the nobles stopped their chattering and shut their mouth. Everyone was lost in her beauty beyond imagination. They gazed at the young Queen, motionless.
The Queen of Alexandria paused her pace at the big gate of the palace.
And then, slowing bending her knees to do a gracious curtsey, she lifted her face and smiled.
With only that, the nobles in the lobby exclaimed with excitement.
"Your Majesty, this way."
Kushuhal appeared in front of her and led her. Beatrix, who seemed to be cautious, followed.
The Queen sat on the seat which was that reserved before.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my mansion. I have called the musicians in Treno, so please have fun dancing and enjoy your snacks."
With Kushuhal announcing in a high tone, nobles returned to their conversations once more.
The elegant music flowed from the musician group, some of the nobles stepped into the center, pairing up by themselves, and began to dance.
Zidane watched the place carefully from the side of the wall. Those eyes were glued to the Queen since she walked into the room.
"Hohoho, no need to be that discreet, Mr.Marcus. That person would not do anything to Her Majesty under public eyes. In addition, Beatrix is by her side."
Beside him, Tot, who was doing the same, spoke up with a teasing tone.
"Well.....even if that's true...."
Zidane sighed. He could not help but to worry about Garnet.
Seeing him like this, Tot shook his head, a beam hanging at the side of his mouth.
"Speaking of which, Mr. Marcus,"
As if questioning Tot for the rest of the sentence, Zidane shifted his eyes to him.
"What? Dr.Tot."
".....I think you should look at your surroundings more."
In respond of the suggestion, Zidane swept his eyes around him, confused.
Immediately, he moved backwards. But since his back was already against the wall, his attempt failed.
Somewhere during this time, a lot of ladies scattered around Zidane, and sending hot eyes at him.
One of the ladies who he coincidentally made eye contact with stepped out in her pink dress.
"Um......would you, dance with me..?"
She said, her face red out of embarrassment. Like she just broke the surface, the other ladies also blurted:
"No, please dance with me."
"No, please be with me!"
"I am good at dancing, please dance with me!"
"No way, with me!"
While saying that, the ladies went closer, Zidane did not know what to do.
"No, wait, you see, I..."
Thinking of how to get out of this situation, his eyes naturally focused on Garnet. Garnet was looking at him too, their eyes met.
She conveyed her beautiful smile.
I can't refuse!!!!!!!!
Zidane shouted in his mind desperately, although that voice did not reach her.
Even during that time, the ladies were almost squishing him, arguing: "Oh dance with me" "Dance with me!" "Please dance with me!"
.....Zidane had the urge to cry.
Garnet sighed quietly.
Zidane liked girls a long time ago, he must be enjoying himself right now.
Frankly, Garnet could understand their feelings.
Not the trainee clothes, Zidane-who was now wearing a tux, was undoubtedly attractive no matter how people look at it. Tall, handsome, and unlike those nobles, he held a unique valiant aura. Indeed, the ladies would want to dance with him for at least one song.
Actually, if Garnet could, she wanted to dance with him as well.
She sighed again.
At that moment, someone's hand entered her view.
Looking up, wondering what was happening, she saw a young man standing there.
Garnet went into shock.
Alexend???!!
Bulging her eyes, she stared at him.
Those emerald irises, the structure of his appearance, this young man was exactly like the one in her memory, the one who protected Garnet.....Sarah. If that boy had grown up, it would be the same except for one spot.
Alexend....?!
Is it really..? But he had no horn. Besides, there was no way he could have survived.
Although Garnet was examining him with widened eyes, the young man spoke to her as if not noticing anything.
"It is an honor. I am Yuju, the son of Governor Kushuhal. ......Would you dance with me for one song?"
Garnet, still dazing, shifted her eyes from his hand to his face, back and forth, back and forth.
Yuju.....
Not Alexend....
Nonetheless, it looked like him. There was no way that they could look the same...!
Everything, the eyes, the aura, the face, everything!
But...he was not Alexend.....He had died. This was another person who...looked like him.
Without realizing, her hand pressed softly on his.
Gradually raising her body up, he escorted her into the center circle of the lobby.
Joining one hand, with the other hand on his shoulder, they started to dance according to the rhythm of the music.
The nobles surrounding them watched with curious eyes.
"Oh, it is Mr.Yuju! He is dancing with Her Majesty."
"Fabulous! They are such a perfect match."
"Mr.Yuju...even with this kind personality, he did not have any rumors....I have always admired him..I would not ever stand a chance if it is Her Majesty.."
From the corners of the room, the gentlemen and ladies sighed with disappointment.
Certainly that included the ladies who were surrounding Zidane. Currently, they were gazing at the two people, drifting in imagination.
Zidane was in shock.
Garnet is dancing with another man....
It seemed like nothing with merely these words. If he had to say it strongly, he felt like he had just swallowed a huge rock, hard to breathe and all.
Even so, he could not remove his eyes from those two.
Garnet....
"They are a matching couple."
"If it is Her Majesty and Mr. Yuju, both in high society, they could be a matching couple! I suppose it is already decided..."
Words like that went into his appalled ears.
[If it is Her Majesty and Mr. Yuju, both in high society....]
"......!"
Zidane clenched his fists hard, hard as if his skin would split.
"Garnet...."
That murmur, unfortunately, was only heard by Tot.
Even while dancing, Garnet was still absent minded.
Yuju chuckled.
"Is there something on my face?"
Garnet finally realized that she was gazing at his face all the time.
Panicking, she lowered her irises.
"Or...is it because I look exactly like the same as someone you know?"
Feeling that he penetrated her thoughts, she lifted her head once more.
The kind emerald eyes were piercing into her.
Thinking that she might think of him as Alexend again, she quickly went to examine the floor.
"Is...your name.....really Yuju?"
"Yes."
"......."
Garnet lowered her face. He was someone else. Alexend had already died.
"...Please do not be so sad."
The calm voice echoed. Towards the voice that was the same as his aura, Garnet felt safe. It was the first time she felt this way except for Zidane’s. Perhaps it was because he and Alexend were too much alike.
"......It is okay. You would meet that person very soon."
----------------------[It's okay.]
The words folded together with the voice in the dream, billows on the surface of Garnet’s heart.
"Ah...."
Interjecting when she was about to say something, Yuju grinned.
Even the grin was the same as that boy.
Within the curious eyes of the nobles, the song ended.
Yuju pulled away from her, took her left hand, and dropped a light kiss on her fingernail.
"Thank you for dancing with me. ....I would love to stay and chat, but his eyes were about to kill me. So let us continue another time."
"Huh...”
Yuju politely nodded to her, flipping his body, walking away. Garnet who was now alone, was yet still watching him blankly.
From eyes of a stranger, she was no more than a girl who got her heart stolen by that young man.
* * *
Garnet looked up to the sky after the party had ended, she was in her room.
Drowned in her thought, she sighed.
The people like the maids and Beatrix who were clueless, were extremely confused about their Queen's change of heart. Even when they were assisting her to change clothes and put on night gowns, her pupils were fixed on the sky.
Being alone in the dark room, Garnet sat on her bed, and recalled those days in Madain Sari.
Days when she and Alexend were playing from day to night.
Days when they found their secret place.
Days when he was teaching her tons of interesting thing inside the secret place.
There were also times when they were tired from playing and fell asleep in the secret place. She remembered that the adults searched for them anxiously, then scolded them.
As she opened her eyes, it was dark everywhere, and she was supposed to be terribly scared. Nevertheless, with Alexend beside her, so she did not feel that afraid. Instead, she was calm.
......Thinking about the past like this, I was really relying on him a lot back then.
At that time, she was a weakling who was not capable to go out without him.
"Alexend...."
Did he...truly die...?
Was Yuju.....really not related to him in any way?
They were so alike as if she could not find any difference. Too alike, the aura, and the face.
Garnet sighed.
Meanwhile, she heard a small creaking noise.
"!?"
Startled, she turned backwards.
Recognizing the figure, Garnet was relieved, calling his name with a beam.
"Zidane."
The window was opened. It was for sure that he entered the room from there. Although this room was on the second floor, it did not seem like a problem to him at all. There was an oak tree right beside the window, he must had climbed up from there.
Standing up from her bed, she walked towards him.
He was still in his tux.
Garnet was intending to stop a few steps in front of him. However, Zidane closed that distance with one pace. Just as she felt she was being pulled, the next second, she was in his arms.
"Zidane....?"
The force of the arms around her was so much stronger than usual that it made her hard to breath.
Without thinking that it had anything to do with her, Garnet wondered idly.
"Zidane?"
Lifting her face, she met his irises.
"!"
Abruptly attacked by his lips, Garnet felt like having a seizure.
"Zi........hm!"
Forceful and disoriented, like a wild beast. Switching different angles for uncountable times, feeling that even breathing was difficult, Garnet panted.
"What....did you talk about?"
Once the mouth was free, Zidane said.
That voice, was not the cheerful one that he always had.
It was dark------and scary.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 4
The Kushuhal hosted party was extravagant that day.
The Treno nobles who heard that the Queen of Alexandria was coming, were all gathered around in Kushuhal's lobby, dressing as formal as possible. Of course part of the reason was to see the historical beauty in Alexandria, but mostly they were curious about what was going to happen between her and the son of Kushuhal.
The moment that the Queen of Alexandria entered from the stairs, the nobles stopped their chattering and shut their mouth. Everyone was lost in her beauty beyond imagination. They gazed at the young Queen, motionless.
The Queen of Alexandria paused her pace at the big gate of the palace.
And then, slowing bending her knees to do a gracious curtsey, she lifted her face and smiled.
With only that, the nobles in the lobby exclaimed with excitement.
"Your Majesty, this way."
Kushuhal appeared in front of her and led her. Beatrix, who seemed to be cautious, followed.
The Queen sat on the seat which was that reserved before.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my mansion. I have called the musicians in Treno, so please have fun dancing and enjoy your snacks."
With Kushuhal announcing in a high tone, nobles returned to their conversations once more.
The elegant music flowed from the musician group, some of the nobles stepped into the center, pairing up by themselves, and began to dance.
Zidane watched the place carefully from the side of the wall. Those eyes were glued to the Queen since she walked into the room.
"Hohoho, no need to be that discreet, Mr.Marcus. That person would not do anything to Her Majesty under public eyes. In addition, Beatrix is by her side."
Beside him, Tot, who was doing the same, spoke up with a teasing tone.
"Well.....even if that's true...."
Zidane sighed. He could not help but to worry about Garnet.
Seeing him like this, Tot shook his head, a beam hanging at the side of his mouth.
"Speaking of which, Mr. Marcus,"
As if questioning Tot for the rest of the sentence, Zidane shifted his eyes to him.
"What? Dr.Tot."
".....I think you should look at your surroundings more."
In respond of the suggestion, Zidane swept his eyes around him, confused.
Immediately, he moved backwards. But since his back was already against the wall, his attempt failed.
Somewhere during this time, a lot of ladies scattered around Zidane, and sending hot eyes at him.
One of the ladies who he coincidentally made eye contact with stepped out in her pink dress.
"Um......would you, dance with me..?"
She said, her face red out of embarrassment. Like she just broke the surface, the other ladies also blurted:
"No, please dance with me."
"No, please be with me!"
"I am good at dancing, please dance with me!"
"No way, with me!"
While saying that, the ladies went closer, Zidane did not know what to do.
"No, wait, you see, I..."
Thinking of how to get out of this situation, his eyes naturally focused on Garnet. Garnet was looking at him too, their eyes met.
She conveyed her beautiful smile.
I can't refuse!!!!!!!!
Zidane shouted in his mind desperately, although that voice did not reach her.
Even during that time, the ladies were almost squishing him, arguing: "Oh dance with me" "Dance with me!" "Please dance with me!"
.....Zidane had the urge to cry.
Garnet sighed quietly.
Zidane liked girls a long time ago, he must be enjoying himself right now.
Frankly, Garnet could understand their feelings.
Not the trainee clothes, Zidane-who was now wearing a tux, was undoubtedly attractive no matter how people look at it. Tall, handsome, and unlike those nobles, he held a unique valiant aura. Indeed, the ladies would want to dance with him for at least one song.
Actually, if Garnet could, she wanted to dance with him as well.
She sighed again.
At that moment, someone's hand entered her view.
Looking up, wondering what was happening, she saw a young man standing there.
Garnet went into shock.
Alexend???!!
Bulging her eyes, she stared at him.
Those emerald irises, the structure of his appearance, this young man was exactly like the one in her memory, the one who protected Garnet.....Sarah. If that boy had grown up, it would be the same except for one spot.
Alexend....?!
Is it really..? But he had no horn. Besides, there was no way he could have survived.
Although Garnet was examining him with widened eyes, the young man spoke to her as if not noticing anything.
"It is an honor. I am Yuju, the son of Governor Kushuhal. ......Would you dance with me for one song?"
Garnet, still dazing, shifted her eyes from his hand to his face, back and forth, back and forth.
Yuju.....
Not Alexend....
Nonetheless, it looked like him. There was no way that they could look the same...!
Everything, the eyes, the aura, the face, everything!
But...he was not Alexend.....He had died. This was another person who...looked like him.
Without realizing, her hand pressed softly on his.
Gradually raising her body up, he escorted her into the center circle of the lobby.
Joining one hand, with the other hand on his shoulder, they started to dance according to the rhythm of the music.
The nobles surrounding them watched with curious eyes.
"Oh, it is Mr.Yuju! He is dancing with Her Majesty."
"Fabulous! They are such a perfect match."
"Mr.Yuju...even with this kind personality, he did not have any rumors....I have always admired him..I would not ever stand a chance if it is Her Majesty.."
From the corners of the room, the gentlemen and ladies sighed with disappointment.
Certainly that included the ladies who were surrounding Zidane. Currently, they were gazing at the two people, drifting in imagination.
Zidane was in shock.
Garnet is dancing with another man....
It seemed like nothing with merely these words. If he had to say it strongly, he felt like he had just swallowed a huge rock, hard to breathe and all.
Even so, he could not remove his eyes from those two.
Garnet....
"They are a matching couple."
"If it is Her Majesty and Mr. Yuju, both in high society, they could be a matching couple! I suppose it is already decided..."
Words like that went into his appalled ears.
[If it is Her Majesty and Mr. Yuju, both in high society....]
"......!"
Zidane clenched his fists hard, hard as if his skin would split.
"Garnet...."
That murmur, unfortunately, was only heard by Tot.
Even while dancing, Garnet was still absent minded.
Yuju chuckled.
"Is there something on my face?"
Garnet finally realized that she was gazing at his face all the time.
Panicking, she lowered her irises.
"Or...is it because I look exactly like the same as someone you know?"
Feeling that he penetrated her thoughts, she lifted her head once more.
The kind emerald eyes were piercing into her.
Thinking that she might think of him as Alexend again, she quickly went to examine the floor.
"Is...your name.....really Yuju?"
"Yes."
"......."
Garnet lowered her face. He was someone else. Alexend had already died.
"...Please do not be so sad."
The calm voice echoed. Towards the voice that was the same as his aura, Garnet felt safe. It was the first time she felt this way except for Zidane’s. Perhaps it was because he and Alexend were too much alike.
"......It is okay. You would meet that person very soon."
----------------------[It's okay.]
The words folded together with the voice in the dream, billows on the surface of Garnet’s heart.
"Ah...."
Interjecting when she was about to say something, Yuju grinned.
Even the grin was the same as that boy.
Within the curious eyes of the nobles, the song ended.
Yuju pulled away from her, took her left hand, and dropped a light kiss on her fingernail.
"Thank you for dancing with me. ....I would love to stay and chat, but his eyes were about to kill me. So let us continue another time."
"Huh...”
Yuju politely nodded to her, flipping his body, walking away. Garnet who was now alone, was yet still watching him blankly.
From eyes of a stranger, she was no more than a girl who got her heart stolen by that young man.
* * *
Garnet looked up to the sky after the party had ended, she was in her room.
Drowned in her thought, she sighed.
The people like the maids and Beatrix who were clueless, were extremely confused about their Queen's change of heart. Even when they were assisting her to change clothes and put on night gowns, her pupils were fixed on the sky.
Being alone in the dark room, Garnet sat on her bed, and recalled those days in Madain Sari.
Days when she and Alexend were playing from day to night.
Days when they found their secret place.
Days when he was teaching her tons of interesting thing inside the secret place.
There were also times when they were tired from playing and fell asleep in the secret place. She remembered that the adults searched for them anxiously, then scolded them.
As she opened her eyes, it was dark everywhere, and she was supposed to be terribly scared. Nevertheless, with Alexend beside her, so she did not feel that afraid. Instead, she was calm.
......Thinking about the past like this, I was really relying on him a lot back then.
At that time, she was a weakling who was not capable to go out without him.
"Alexend...."
Did he...truly die...?
Was Yuju.....really not related to him in any way?
They were so alike as if she could not find any difference. Too alike, the aura, and the face.
Garnet sighed.
Meanwhile, she heard a small creaking noise.
"!?"
Startled, she turned backwards.
Recognizing the figure, Garnet was relieved, calling his name with a beam.
"Zidane."
The window was opened. It was for sure that he entered the room from there. Although this room was on the second floor, it did not seem like a problem to him at all. There was an oak tree right beside the window, he must had climbed up from there.
Standing up from her bed, she walked towards him.
He was still in his tux.
Garnet was intending to stop a few steps in front of him. However, Zidane closed that distance with one pace. Just as she felt she was being pulled, the next second, she was in his arms.
"Zidane....?"
The force of the arms around her was so much stronger than usual that it made her hard to breath.
Without thinking that it had anything to do with her, Garnet wondered idly.
"Zidane?"
Lifting her face, she met his irises.
"!"
Abruptly attacked by his lips, Garnet felt like having a seizure.
"Zi........hm!"
Forceful and disoriented, like a wild beast. Switching different angles for uncountable times, feeling that even breathing was difficult, Garnet panted.
"What....did you talk about?"
Once the mouth was free, Zidane said.
That voice, was not the cheerful one that he always had.
It was dark------and scary.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Checkmate(original) Chapter 1
Prologue
The melody of the music surrounded the air like a mist.
The young girl stroked the instrument, her long eyelashes hid her eyes. The sorrow atmosphere was unreasonable. She lifted her eyes to look at the other side of the table, expression blank. There were two people who looked identical- one male and one female- sitting on the opposite side of the chessboard. All the pieces were scattered around, but the game had already ended. The female noticed the girl’s gaze and met her eyes idly. She dropped her stare immediately, and began to play the music once again. A servant like her could not disobey the owner, even though she did not say anything.
The female was silent.
“Sister,” The brother sighed to the female in front of him. “Don’t you give any sympathy to your twin brother? This is a difficult game.” A smile flashed through his eyes, and his sister saw it perfectly. “But I still won.”
Her lips parted slightly.“Did you truly win?” Her voice sounded as if she had the power to subside the roaring of the ocean. She glanced at the chessboard, pointing at a blank space that was at the right of where her queen stood. “Count your pieces. to break this game, you need one more.”
The brother’s expression gradually became somber, exactly like his sister's. Their faces seemed transparent as ice. “Sister…” He whispered.
The sister picked up the bishop with her thumb and forefinger. The fabric on her arm fell, revealing her snow white skin. “I know.” She replied. “I will be your final pawn.”
It was midnight, and the music stopped.
Chapter 1
The blue sky.
The birds were flying freely until a small dot appeared in the way. It was getting bigger and bigger, and eventually turned into a magnificent airship. The birds squawked in panic, flapping their wings and pushing themselves towards their own direction. The group was broken.
The engine of the airship roared in the sky; vibrating, claiming that it was the king. It was painted in various colors: the head was shining gold, the wings were fiery scarlet, and the body was lightning yellow. The colors were in such harmony that it seemed like no other colors would be more compatible. There were also gigantic letters written in white on the side of the vehicle. Like the colors, it was in a unique style.
“The Scarecrows”
People were running, each rushing to their own destination. Chatters were everywhere.
“Hey, Novus! Get outta’ere! We ain’t got time for procrastinatin’! The target’s near!” A muscular blond man hollered. The hallway was suddenly filled with his impatient echo.
“Boss! He is already out there!” A person who was much shorter than him yelled back.
“Good!” The chief said as he ran to the piloting room. His footsteps hit furiously on the ground until he reached the room and kicked the door open. He jerked his goggles out of his eyes and thrust them aside. The pilots were not startled by his brutal actions, like they were expecting it. One of them shifted his body to give the head some space. The giant man grabbed the announcer:” Attention, all Scarecrow members in position, all Scarecrow members in position. The mission has begun. Activate the sky-deck and get ready for descent.”
“Boss, there is a call from Nov.” the pilot beside him reported when the man turned off the announcer. He offered his headphones and microphone to him.
With the sky-deck slowly stretching out, a boy hopped onto the vibrating ground. The sign of youth was still in his face. He looked fifteen years old and had blond hair which tied loosely to a short ponytail. The tank top and cougar pants made him look dashing. Before buckling the short swords on his belt, the boy took the walkie-talkie out of one of the many pockets. “Boss,” he said. “I already located the destination from above. Look at how fancy that place is! I guess that person wants to be popular pretty badly.”
“We’ll save this chit-chat later when celebratin’. Are you ready?” The man’s voice appeared yet again.
“As always.” The boy grinned widely, confidence and excitement flickered in his green eyes. “Bring it on, boss.”
At the other side of the walkie-talkie, the man chuckled. “I’ll bring it then.” Knowing his apprentice was listening to him carefully, his eyes turned serious. “Listen good. After ya go in, grab as many jewels as ya want, I believe you ought’a pick’em ones that looks fancy. Our main goal’s a jewel called 'Azul'. It’s a pair of darn pretty jewels. Blue, has snowflakes on the edge, you’ll know when ya see it.”
“Azul.” The boy repeated the word, forcing it into his head. “Got it.”
The man bellowed through his shoulders towards the people outsides of the piloting room:”What are ya people doin’?? Are the slide chains ready???”
The volume reached the boy’s ears along with the loud feedback, screeching on his ear drums:”Geez, boss. Be patient, you are going to burst your veins one day.” Then, hearing the affirmation about the slide chains, he nipped the walkie-talkie between his shoulder and his ear; pulling out a pair of thick, leather gloves on his fingers. On the gloves' palms were some metal clips that looked like they were specifically made to join with something.
Slowly, two circular lids opened on the wall of the airship just above the boy, and two cannon-like tubes stretched out. Then each of the cannons fired out a tough, metal woven chains. Quickly shoving the walkie-talkie between his teeth, Novus leaped up in order to catch the metal handles that were attached to chains before they went beyond his reach, and watched as the silver chains wrapped themselves around a tree. Because the handles were now stationary in his hands, the friction between the chain and the handles made millions of little sparks.
Abruptly, the walkie-talkie in his mouth beeped.
He counted the beeps in his mind.
One,two,three,four,five,six.
Signal translation: It was time to kick those rich butts.
With his hands holding onto the chains, the blond haired boy first leaned backwards, then dashed out of the sky deck. The clips from the palm of his gloves automatically clipped onto the handles just a second before he slid downwards.
Feeling the wind whooshing into his ears, Novus’s mouth was able to curve into a crooked arc of anticipation. (It was considerably hard to do with a thing in your mouth…just saying.)
Robbing this treasure facility should be fun.
***
The girl opened her eyes in the dark.
Everything was so unfamiliar to her.
The darkness, the coldness, the thoughts. Everything.
Everything was blank.
She twitched her forefinger. The touch of wood rapidly made its way through her nervous system, although she did not have the capability to recognize it.
Her left arm felt sore. Following the sore feeling, she traced her eyes from her shoulder to the hand up in the air.
Those were her arms.
She did not know how to put them down.
The girl's eyes rolled around, the blue light shimmering in the darkness.
A knot was in her throat.
The room was narrow.
It felt hard to breathe.
Her body remembered that she was claustrophobic.
But she herself had no memory what so ever.
She touched her throat.
...."So you're able to get "Azul" here."
A dark, stable, strange sound frequency entered her ear. It startled her.
"Y-yes. I just want to say that I've worked really hard on negotiating...."Another one of them. Similar but squeakier. "I hid it in here..."
"Okay, let's see it then." The door creaked open, light pouring into the room. The whiteness made the girl narrow her eyes. It was blinding.
Two standing shadows reflected in her retina. One was obese, round and big;another one short and skinny. Before she could see the details on their faces, the two men saw her first.
What they saw was a young girl with long, straight dark blue hair lying on the wooden floor staring at them innocently, body fully exposed without any clothes on. The snow white skin was perfectly visible.
They froze.
"Gah!!!" Yelped the short one. "Azul is gone!!!"
There were random pieces that seem to be a part of the jewelry box, all scattered around the girl. There was also a piece of fine embroidered silk lying beside the girl's head.
"......If this is some stupid prank you're pulling on me....you have no idea how dead you are going to be." The fat man hissed. The twitching on the corner of his mouth and the veins that were popping out from his forehead conveyed how furious he was.
The short man denied in panic:"No! I didn't do it! I don't even know who she is! I locked the room!!"
The superior waved his giant hand impatiently to the urgent explanation. Beckoning the passing maid, he ordered her to get the girl some clothes.
One of the maids walked towards the girl, trying to help her up. The moment the maid's fingers wrapped around the girl's arms, the naked girl instinctly slapped those fingers away. Then,after the unexpected actions, she shifted her eyes towards her own hand, expression shocked and horrified. She was sitting up now, though she herself was not aware of that. She concentrated, and her hand clenched and unclenched. She had no recollection of this power, this control.
The fat man was now impatiently yelling something into his cellphone. His spit was spruting out of his mouth. The short and sly one, on the other hand, was scratching his greasy auburn hair, examining parts of the jewelry box anxiously. A second before this incident happened, he thought that he would be promoted for sure. But now, that blue glimmering glory vanished before he could even catch it.
His sixth sense felt the premonition.
And sixth senses never lie.
***
"Okay....let's see...."
Novus scrutinized his surroundings.
He had memorized every single part of this facility before the mission. The boss specifically made sure that everybody in the group knew where all the traps, surveillance cameras, secret tunnels and doorways were.
The map he saw distinctly in his head converted into a three dimensional version. He was in an open lobby room with machines, transportations, elevators, escalators, and electic beeps that would eventually get into people's nerves. The entire room was gray; the floor was made out of marble. It was difficult for him to not make any sounds.
The lobby was like a enormous cylinder. And on each side there were various kinds of passage ways. One of them looked like a garage door.
This must be….
"The transit center." He clicked his tongue.
All the valuable gems and jewelries were preserved in one place, what he and his groupies called “the Treasure Chest”. The transit center was located on the very north of the whole facility, and the Treasure Chest was in the south-west. His brain analyzed quickly. He was facing inwards, which was south.
The route to the Treasure Chest was intricate. Nonetheless, after all that training, he knew exactly where to go.
Normally all the guards were supposed to be in the conference room ending their shift at this time, giving Novus plenty of opportunities to prowl all he wanted.
However, it seemed to be a deviation today. Although there were no guards in here currently, he could sense their presence. There were at least 10 guards who were close to where he was at the moment, hindering the path he needed to go through.
It wouldn’t be fun if the treasure hunt is not worth a challenge.
Soundlessly he concealed himself under the shadow of the enormous escalator on his left side. If the guards were where he sensed they were, the escalators would block his figure perfectly.
Novus pressed his back hard against the wall, warily sticking his blond head out to peep at the hallway full of guards. 13 people, each holding a power-loaded taser, expression threatening. They looked mighty to him. He might manage to get through without being busted if he sent at least half of them away.
Lifting his right leg, he steadily reached out for his pocket around the ankle of his pants. A grenade was in his hand when it came out. It was a special smoke bomb, he only had 2 of them. Boss warned him to use it only during an emergency to escape.
He popped the lid out with his teeth while the other hand gripped on the short swords on his waist.
The smoke grenade dropped on the ground. It exploded into a big puffs of black smoke that was totally not environmental friendly.
No way the guard could have ignored that.
The husky men dashed out near the elevator. They could not see anything under the smoke.
Unlike Novus.
One of the guards was intending to report this to the headmaster, though he went unconscious before he could press down the button. The body made a huge thud when it hit the ground, but the other guards were too distracted to notice it.
Exhaling, Novus yanked the uniform off the man and pulled it on over his own clothes. This one was the shortest in the team and possibly the weakest. He had targeted that man from the second he saw him. The uniform was slightly long for him, but not long enough to make anybody suspicious.
He quickly glanced at his watch.
The bomb would last for another 30 seconds.
Fortunately there was a storage room in front of him. Novus dragged the man’s leg into the dark, humid space.
The store room was small, it was all wooden, except for the concrete walls. A couple of shelves were visible. In the center of this room, there was a stool. Around the stool, were small blue segments lying around, as if something had just broke free from there. When Novus went into the room, he shoved the man in too hard, sothat one of the spiky segments pierced through his mouth when his head plummeted down. He had no hostility towards the man, instead he was quite appreciative to him for letting him “borrow” his uniforms. He accidently thrust the man like that because something else drew his attention.
A piece of blue silk, embroidered with flowers and snowflakes.
“Wow…that thing must worth a ton of money.”
Novus had seen silk and a lot more valuable things in his life. But he had never seen anything like that hankerchief before. Even his eyes could not identify the material of that thing.
As much as it seemed like silk.....
It was glowing.
It was really glowing, in a luminous bright blue color, which was conspicuous in the dark room.
Novus was completely intrigued. He picked it up and tugged it in his pocket under the uniform before he put on the guard's helmet along with the sunglasses and scurried outside.
The sprinkler system seemed to have detected the smoke. It was spouting out liquid frantically, drenching the carpet.
The smoke was mostly gone by now. The guards were still around the escalator, all saturated and cranky.
Novus-in disguise-walked up to them in a "I didn't do nothin'" kind of manner as if he was the guard. He could not let them count and realize one of their companions was missing.
None of them doubted his identity.
"Hey Starthas! Where were you just now!?" The tallest of the guards bellowed at him when he reached them. There was a heinous mole under his lower lip. Novus exerted all his will to not smirk at his "beauty mark".
He'd observed the personality of the guard he knocked out. His name was Starthas Brown, the lowest rank in this group due to his height and body structure. He had a way lower voice than Novus. Lowering the pitch of his voice, Novus mumbled to the mole-man:"Ah, sir, I was reporting this situation to the headquarters. I couldn't talk in the smoke." Starthas usually talked in a polite slash weak attitude, so this answer would be most appropriate.
"What's up with your voice,bro? It's a little hoarse." Another guard, who did not wear the helmet and glasses,looked into his eyes under the sunglasses. He was Starthas' closest friend in this squad, so far.
It was difficult to tell the difference of eyecolor when a pair of sunglasses were in the way. Novus knew that perfectly well. Without any guilt or nervousness, he stared into the guard's pupils. "The smoke is kind of messing up my throat." He replied with a cough, deliberately making it pathetic.
Other members regarded him in defiance. Novus scoffed sardonically in his mind, he sympathized with Starthas.
"Filthy thieves." The mole-man cussed under his breath. "Like the first Azul didn't disappear because of them, and now the second one is gone too."
What? Pondered Novus. The boss never mentioned that the first Azul was missing. And that there was only one of them in this facility. But most importantly, the Azul in here was gone as well.Boss always gets the fastest and latest information. Perhaps it happened right before the mission. He did not dare to ask,though,for he could not take any chances to raise skepticism. He needed to contact the boss. At this instant.
"Hey, what did the chairman say when you reported this?" The mole-man demanded with a gruff voice.
It seemed like they actually believed him. It was a good thing that those guards, although with bodies like buildings, were so dumb to fool.
That meant he could manipulate them however he wanted.
Novus grinned in triumph when the guards were not looking.
This mission is getting more and more interesting.
-Chapter 1 fin.-
The melody of the music surrounded the air like a mist.
The young girl stroked the instrument, her long eyelashes hid her eyes. The sorrow atmosphere was unreasonable. She lifted her eyes to look at the other side of the table, expression blank. There were two people who looked identical- one male and one female- sitting on the opposite side of the chessboard. All the pieces were scattered around, but the game had already ended. The female noticed the girl’s gaze and met her eyes idly. She dropped her stare immediately, and began to play the music once again. A servant like her could not disobey the owner, even though she did not say anything.
The female was silent.
“Sister,” The brother sighed to the female in front of him. “Don’t you give any sympathy to your twin brother? This is a difficult game.” A smile flashed through his eyes, and his sister saw it perfectly. “But I still won.”
Her lips parted slightly.“Did you truly win?” Her voice sounded as if she had the power to subside the roaring of the ocean. She glanced at the chessboard, pointing at a blank space that was at the right of where her queen stood. “Count your pieces. to break this game, you need one more.”
The brother’s expression gradually became somber, exactly like his sister's. Their faces seemed transparent as ice. “Sister…” He whispered.
The sister picked up the bishop with her thumb and forefinger. The fabric on her arm fell, revealing her snow white skin. “I know.” She replied. “I will be your final pawn.”
It was midnight, and the music stopped.
Chapter 1
The blue sky.
The birds were flying freely until a small dot appeared in the way. It was getting bigger and bigger, and eventually turned into a magnificent airship. The birds squawked in panic, flapping their wings and pushing themselves towards their own direction. The group was broken.
The engine of the airship roared in the sky; vibrating, claiming that it was the king. It was painted in various colors: the head was shining gold, the wings were fiery scarlet, and the body was lightning yellow. The colors were in such harmony that it seemed like no other colors would be more compatible. There were also gigantic letters written in white on the side of the vehicle. Like the colors, it was in a unique style.
“The Scarecrows”
People were running, each rushing to their own destination. Chatters were everywhere.
“Hey, Novus! Get outta’ere! We ain’t got time for procrastinatin’! The target’s near!” A muscular blond man hollered. The hallway was suddenly filled with his impatient echo.
“Boss! He is already out there!” A person who was much shorter than him yelled back.
“Good!” The chief said as he ran to the piloting room. His footsteps hit furiously on the ground until he reached the room and kicked the door open. He jerked his goggles out of his eyes and thrust them aside. The pilots were not startled by his brutal actions, like they were expecting it. One of them shifted his body to give the head some space. The giant man grabbed the announcer:” Attention, all Scarecrow members in position, all Scarecrow members in position. The mission has begun. Activate the sky-deck and get ready for descent.”
“Boss, there is a call from Nov.” the pilot beside him reported when the man turned off the announcer. He offered his headphones and microphone to him.
With the sky-deck slowly stretching out, a boy hopped onto the vibrating ground. The sign of youth was still in his face. He looked fifteen years old and had blond hair which tied loosely to a short ponytail. The tank top and cougar pants made him look dashing. Before buckling the short swords on his belt, the boy took the walkie-talkie out of one of the many pockets. “Boss,” he said. “I already located the destination from above. Look at how fancy that place is! I guess that person wants to be popular pretty badly.”
“We’ll save this chit-chat later when celebratin’. Are you ready?” The man’s voice appeared yet again.
“As always.” The boy grinned widely, confidence and excitement flickered in his green eyes. “Bring it on, boss.”
At the other side of the walkie-talkie, the man chuckled. “I’ll bring it then.” Knowing his apprentice was listening to him carefully, his eyes turned serious. “Listen good. After ya go in, grab as many jewels as ya want, I believe you ought’a pick’em ones that looks fancy. Our main goal’s a jewel called 'Azul'. It’s a pair of darn pretty jewels. Blue, has snowflakes on the edge, you’ll know when ya see it.”
“Azul.” The boy repeated the word, forcing it into his head. “Got it.”
The man bellowed through his shoulders towards the people outsides of the piloting room:”What are ya people doin’?? Are the slide chains ready???”
The volume reached the boy’s ears along with the loud feedback, screeching on his ear drums:”Geez, boss. Be patient, you are going to burst your veins one day.” Then, hearing the affirmation about the slide chains, he nipped the walkie-talkie between his shoulder and his ear; pulling out a pair of thick, leather gloves on his fingers. On the gloves' palms were some metal clips that looked like they were specifically made to join with something.
Slowly, two circular lids opened on the wall of the airship just above the boy, and two cannon-like tubes stretched out. Then each of the cannons fired out a tough, metal woven chains. Quickly shoving the walkie-talkie between his teeth, Novus leaped up in order to catch the metal handles that were attached to chains before they went beyond his reach, and watched as the silver chains wrapped themselves around a tree. Because the handles were now stationary in his hands, the friction between the chain and the handles made millions of little sparks.
Abruptly, the walkie-talkie in his mouth beeped.
He counted the beeps in his mind.
One,two,three,four,five,six.
Signal translation: It was time to kick those rich butts.
With his hands holding onto the chains, the blond haired boy first leaned backwards, then dashed out of the sky deck. The clips from the palm of his gloves automatically clipped onto the handles just a second before he slid downwards.
Feeling the wind whooshing into his ears, Novus’s mouth was able to curve into a crooked arc of anticipation. (It was considerably hard to do with a thing in your mouth…just saying.)
Robbing this treasure facility should be fun.
***
The girl opened her eyes in the dark.
Everything was so unfamiliar to her.
The darkness, the coldness, the thoughts. Everything.
Everything was blank.
She twitched her forefinger. The touch of wood rapidly made its way through her nervous system, although she did not have the capability to recognize it.
Her left arm felt sore. Following the sore feeling, she traced her eyes from her shoulder to the hand up in the air.
Those were her arms.
She did not know how to put them down.
The girl's eyes rolled around, the blue light shimmering in the darkness.
A knot was in her throat.
The room was narrow.
It felt hard to breathe.
Her body remembered that she was claustrophobic.
But she herself had no memory what so ever.
She touched her throat.
...."So you're able to get "Azul" here."
A dark, stable, strange sound frequency entered her ear. It startled her.
"Y-yes. I just want to say that I've worked really hard on negotiating...."Another one of them. Similar but squeakier. "I hid it in here..."
"Okay, let's see it then." The door creaked open, light pouring into the room. The whiteness made the girl narrow her eyes. It was blinding.
Two standing shadows reflected in her retina. One was obese, round and big;another one short and skinny. Before she could see the details on their faces, the two men saw her first.
What they saw was a young girl with long, straight dark blue hair lying on the wooden floor staring at them innocently, body fully exposed without any clothes on. The snow white skin was perfectly visible.
They froze.
"Gah!!!" Yelped the short one. "Azul is gone!!!"
There were random pieces that seem to be a part of the jewelry box, all scattered around the girl. There was also a piece of fine embroidered silk lying beside the girl's head.
"......If this is some stupid prank you're pulling on me....you have no idea how dead you are going to be." The fat man hissed. The twitching on the corner of his mouth and the veins that were popping out from his forehead conveyed how furious he was.
The short man denied in panic:"No! I didn't do it! I don't even know who she is! I locked the room!!"
The superior waved his giant hand impatiently to the urgent explanation. Beckoning the passing maid, he ordered her to get the girl some clothes.
One of the maids walked towards the girl, trying to help her up. The moment the maid's fingers wrapped around the girl's arms, the naked girl instinctly slapped those fingers away. Then,after the unexpected actions, she shifted her eyes towards her own hand, expression shocked and horrified. She was sitting up now, though she herself was not aware of that. She concentrated, and her hand clenched and unclenched. She had no recollection of this power, this control.
The fat man was now impatiently yelling something into his cellphone. His spit was spruting out of his mouth. The short and sly one, on the other hand, was scratching his greasy auburn hair, examining parts of the jewelry box anxiously. A second before this incident happened, he thought that he would be promoted for sure. But now, that blue glimmering glory vanished before he could even catch it.
His sixth sense felt the premonition.
And sixth senses never lie.
***
"Okay....let's see...."
Novus scrutinized his surroundings.
He had memorized every single part of this facility before the mission. The boss specifically made sure that everybody in the group knew where all the traps, surveillance cameras, secret tunnels and doorways were.
The map he saw distinctly in his head converted into a three dimensional version. He was in an open lobby room with machines, transportations, elevators, escalators, and electic beeps that would eventually get into people's nerves. The entire room was gray; the floor was made out of marble. It was difficult for him to not make any sounds.
The lobby was like a enormous cylinder. And on each side there were various kinds of passage ways. One of them looked like a garage door.
This must be….
"The transit center." He clicked his tongue.
All the valuable gems and jewelries were preserved in one place, what he and his groupies called “the Treasure Chest”. The transit center was located on the very north of the whole facility, and the Treasure Chest was in the south-west. His brain analyzed quickly. He was facing inwards, which was south.
The route to the Treasure Chest was intricate. Nonetheless, after all that training, he knew exactly where to go.
Normally all the guards were supposed to be in the conference room ending their shift at this time, giving Novus plenty of opportunities to prowl all he wanted.
However, it seemed to be a deviation today. Although there were no guards in here currently, he could sense their presence. There were at least 10 guards who were close to where he was at the moment, hindering the path he needed to go through.
It wouldn’t be fun if the treasure hunt is not worth a challenge.
Soundlessly he concealed himself under the shadow of the enormous escalator on his left side. If the guards were where he sensed they were, the escalators would block his figure perfectly.
Novus pressed his back hard against the wall, warily sticking his blond head out to peep at the hallway full of guards. 13 people, each holding a power-loaded taser, expression threatening. They looked mighty to him. He might manage to get through without being busted if he sent at least half of them away.
Lifting his right leg, he steadily reached out for his pocket around the ankle of his pants. A grenade was in his hand when it came out. It was a special smoke bomb, he only had 2 of them. Boss warned him to use it only during an emergency to escape.
He popped the lid out with his teeth while the other hand gripped on the short swords on his waist.
The smoke grenade dropped on the ground. It exploded into a big puffs of black smoke that was totally not environmental friendly.
No way the guard could have ignored that.
The husky men dashed out near the elevator. They could not see anything under the smoke.
Unlike Novus.
One of the guards was intending to report this to the headmaster, though he went unconscious before he could press down the button. The body made a huge thud when it hit the ground, but the other guards were too distracted to notice it.
Exhaling, Novus yanked the uniform off the man and pulled it on over his own clothes. This one was the shortest in the team and possibly the weakest. He had targeted that man from the second he saw him. The uniform was slightly long for him, but not long enough to make anybody suspicious.
He quickly glanced at his watch.
The bomb would last for another 30 seconds.
Fortunately there was a storage room in front of him. Novus dragged the man’s leg into the dark, humid space.
The store room was small, it was all wooden, except for the concrete walls. A couple of shelves were visible. In the center of this room, there was a stool. Around the stool, were small blue segments lying around, as if something had just broke free from there. When Novus went into the room, he shoved the man in too hard, sothat one of the spiky segments pierced through his mouth when his head plummeted down. He had no hostility towards the man, instead he was quite appreciative to him for letting him “borrow” his uniforms. He accidently thrust the man like that because something else drew his attention.
A piece of blue silk, embroidered with flowers and snowflakes.
“Wow…that thing must worth a ton of money.”
Novus had seen silk and a lot more valuable things in his life. But he had never seen anything like that hankerchief before. Even his eyes could not identify the material of that thing.
As much as it seemed like silk.....
It was glowing.
It was really glowing, in a luminous bright blue color, which was conspicuous in the dark room.
Novus was completely intrigued. He picked it up and tugged it in his pocket under the uniform before he put on the guard's helmet along with the sunglasses and scurried outside.
The sprinkler system seemed to have detected the smoke. It was spouting out liquid frantically, drenching the carpet.
The smoke was mostly gone by now. The guards were still around the escalator, all saturated and cranky.
Novus-in disguise-walked up to them in a "I didn't do nothin'" kind of manner as if he was the guard. He could not let them count and realize one of their companions was missing.
None of them doubted his identity.
"Hey Starthas! Where were you just now!?" The tallest of the guards bellowed at him when he reached them. There was a heinous mole under his lower lip. Novus exerted all his will to not smirk at his "beauty mark".
He'd observed the personality of the guard he knocked out. His name was Starthas Brown, the lowest rank in this group due to his height and body structure. He had a way lower voice than Novus. Lowering the pitch of his voice, Novus mumbled to the mole-man:"Ah, sir, I was reporting this situation to the headquarters. I couldn't talk in the smoke." Starthas usually talked in a polite slash weak attitude, so this answer would be most appropriate.
"What's up with your voice,bro? It's a little hoarse." Another guard, who did not wear the helmet and glasses,looked into his eyes under the sunglasses. He was Starthas' closest friend in this squad, so far.
It was difficult to tell the difference of eyecolor when a pair of sunglasses were in the way. Novus knew that perfectly well. Without any guilt or nervousness, he stared into the guard's pupils. "The smoke is kind of messing up my throat." He replied with a cough, deliberately making it pathetic.
Other members regarded him in defiance. Novus scoffed sardonically in his mind, he sympathized with Starthas.
"Filthy thieves." The mole-man cussed under his breath. "Like the first Azul didn't disappear because of them, and now the second one is gone too."
What? Pondered Novus. The boss never mentioned that the first Azul was missing. And that there was only one of them in this facility. But most importantly, the Azul in here was gone as well.Boss always gets the fastest and latest information. Perhaps it happened right before the mission. He did not dare to ask,though,for he could not take any chances to raise skepticism. He needed to contact the boss. At this instant.
"Hey, what did the chairman say when you reported this?" The mole-man demanded with a gruff voice.
It seemed like they actually believed him. It was a good thing that those guards, although with bodies like buildings, were so dumb to fool.
That meant he could manipulate them however he wanted.
Novus grinned in triumph when the guards were not looking.
This mission is getting more and more interesting.
-Chapter 1 fin.-
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