| To be around those you love . . . that is what paradise is. -On wall in Alexandria Castle Garden Part 76 � Will you be flying?� [No. It�s much too hot. I believe I�ll swim.] [As will I,] Tiovex chimed in. Kuja got on the boat while Tiovex and I tested the water. Well, Tiovex tested the water. I just leapt in, sending up a great splash in an attempt to keep my head out of the water. � Be careful! You almost hit the boat!� [Sorry!] Tiovex followed my example, though he was careful to not hit the boat or splash its occupants. We went along as escorts of a sort, paddling along in front of the boat. When it docked at the other side of the moat, we climbed from the water and headed to the castle. Imagine our surprise when we saw Zidane outside the side entrance (about where the knights� common room is) talking to none other than Steiner. �---and I figured that she�d leave me alone, but she kept bothering me so I finally hit her.� He shrugged as if it weren�t that important. � We beat the crap out of each other, then sat down and talked.� Steiner seemed confused. � I knew you were strange, but I had no idea that Freya was the same way.� Zidane rolled his eyes. � Yeah, thanks, Rusty.� �Rusty� had become little more than a nickname now since the two had started getting along. Besides that, Garnet had forbidden Zidane to call Steiner that in public and he was slowly growing out of the habit. As it was, Zidane noticed movement in the corner of his eye and turned to us, his face lighting up in startled delight. � Kiti! Tio! Kuja! What are you doing here?� [Spending the weekend, if that�s okay with you.] � Of course it�s okay with me! That�s the stupidest question I�ve ever heard from you!� He then hesitated for a few moments. � Dagger is the one you�re going to have to worry about. She�s been real picky lately and you all just dropping in without giving her �time to prepare� might make her blow a gasket.� Kuja was looking around, his back to the rest of us, and every so often he would murmur the exact same thing: � I can�t believe I was missing this for all those years . . .� Tiovex and I knew he was talking about his newly enhanced vision, but it was Zidane who was yet again left out of the trick. � Stop worrying about it already.� � Worrying . . .?� Kuja turned. � What are you talking about?� Zidane leapt back into the wall. � Holy---!� Steiner passed out, though I couldn�t possibly imagine why. I�m being serious, by the way. � Do you like them? I think they�re perfect.� Zidane frowned and glared at me. � Bad joke.� [How could I stage this?] I demanded. �. . .� He stepped closer, peering up curiously. � Do I look like that?� [Like how?] � That . . . bright-eyed.� [Not really. Having a vest the same color makes them not so noticeable on you.] � Can we pay attention to me now?� Kuja asked. � I don�t like being talked about as though I�m not here.� � Neither do I. Sorry.� Zidane smiled and gave Kuja a companionable slap on his back. � Welcome to the family. We are now officially brothers.� [What were you doing out here?] Tiovex inquired. [Aren�t you supposed to be inside getting coached on your speech?] Zidane grabbed his throat and made choking noises. � Ugh! I hate those sessions! It�s like water torture!� Calming, he replied, � Actually, the �lessons� were cancelled for the day because Dagger�s having this big thing about me staying out until dusk. I don�t know what she expects me to do until then. Nobody but Beatrix seems to have any idea what�s going on and she�s acting as bad as Dagger. I can go anywhere that doesn�t involve that hall.� He pointed at the hallway that attached to the rest of the castle. The doors were currently closed and two Alexandria guards were standing there as though they were stone statues. � I tried asking them, but they don�t know anything either. They said that Dagger told them to keep me out, so that�s what they�re doing.� He shrugged. � I don�t know what the big deal is, really. It�s not like I�m some spy or something.� I thought about the date briefly. This was the day I had found Zidane as a baby. I had told Garnet that I�d considered it his birthday . . . . . . [I�m going to go do some undercover work,] I said quickly, turning and taking to the sky. � Could you please get me something to eat while you�re in there?!� Zidane called. � I�m dying down here!� I went down to the front entrance expecting to be turned away, but instead, the guards opened the doors slightly and ushered me in. I sniffed, searching for any strange scents that could give away what I had already foreseen. I looked around. Everything looked all right, but when I got to the ballroom I was overwhelmed by all the colors and the multitude of streamers that made it look like the ceiling was caving in. � Kiti!� came Garnet�s voice from higher up. I craned my neck up and peered between the streamers, pausing to wave at her in return. � Hello.� � Come up here and help us!� she urged. I flew up, barely avoiding several run-ins with streamers. � What in the world are you doing?� Beatrix looked over from where she sat in some type of harness attached to the ceiling. � The queen has been planning this for months. I�m surprised Zidane hasn�t figured it out yet.� I rolled my eyes. � Zidane doesn�t bother to remember his own birthday. It takes too much memory space. I�m not sure what he�s planning to put in the rest of his brain, since he obviously never started using it until recently.� <--Part 75 Part 77--> |