FicWad

First Impressions

Author's note

I like writing things like this. It's such a shame this sort of thing isn't included in the game more; it would provide a better look at how characters react to one another. Oh well, I can always dream....

Genome_Boi
14/04/05

Garnet

Garnet stared down at the stage. She usually enjoyed plays, especially this one. But today, she wasn't in the mood for plays.
However, she had noticed something in particular about one of the actors that she usually wouldn't. Usually, she was so engrossed in the play that she barely paid any attention to this sort of thing, but today it seemed to stick in her brain and she couldn't help put ponder about it.
'That boy with the tail... I wonder why I've never noticed him before. Tantalus plays here once a year, but I've never seen him acting before,' Garnet mused.
The boy in question was about her age and height. He had shoulder length sandy blond hair that was mostly tied back and kept in place with a light blue hair ribbon. His tail was fluffy, and exactly the same colour as his hair. He spoke with an accent, which she had never heard before; very close to a Burmecian accent but blended with either a Treno or Lindblum noble's accent. It was definitely not from anywhere she had ever visited in the Mist Continent. Garnet shook her head, but still, she had never seen anyone like this boy. Humans shouldn't have tails should they?
'Hmm, very strange indeed, but perhaps he'll be able to help me...' Garnet thought.
"Mother, I need the bathroom. Would you watch carefully and tell me what happens while I'm gone?" Garnet asked smiling at her mother, Queen Brahne.
"Alright sweet heart, but hurry up! This is your favourite play!" her mother replied. Garnet nodded and walked out of the throne room.

Steiner

Steiner sighed and sat on the small table in the mess that was once the supply room of the Prima Vista. He was still locked in.
"I need a way to escape!" he declared. But the words sounded hollow when no one was around to listen. The knight sighed again. He found the blond-haired thief drifting into his thoughts again.
'That boy with the tail...' he thought furrowing his brow, 'he's about the same age as Princess Garnet, but for a boy he is very small for his age despite the fact his shoes have small heels on them. He also seems to have a very special relationship with that man, what was his name? ...Baku! Yes, a very strange child indeed...'

Vivi

Vivi clutched his stomach and groaned. The medicine that Blank had given him had tasted awful, and the sour taste still lingered in his mouth.
The door opened. It was the boy with the tail.
"Hey there, you all right?" he smiled. Vivi couldn't help but notice the boy's strange accent. It didn't sound like any he had ever heard before.
"I'm fine, thank you for helping me," the black mage replied.
The boy nodded, "No sweat, just as long as you're fine!"
Vivi also couldn't help but stare at the fluffy tail swishing happily by the boy's ankles.
"Oh yeah, my name's Zidane!" he smiled. His blue eyes shone like sapphires when he smiled.
"Okay, thank you Mr. Zidane," Vivi replied.
A strange look came onto Zidane's face, "Oh no! Please just call me Zidane! I'm not old enough to be called 'mister'!"
Vivi nodded. Zidane smiled at him again and left the room.
'He was rather cheerful! But there's something about him that doesn't seem quite right...'

Freya

Freya was sitting down at the bar when she saw him. She recognized him instantly. Not because she already knew him, but because in the 3 years since they had met she had never seen another person like him.
The Burmecian watched the boy chatting away to the barmaid. He looked so much happier than he had when she last saw him. Still, she couldn't resist a jibe.
"Hey monkey-bum sit down, you're bothering the other customers."
Freya grinned as she watched the boy turn around and retort. She knew he hated any comments to do with his unusual tail.
"Freya?!" he gasped. The Burmecian nodded. The boy walked over and sat down. He had gained a far more cheerful disposition since his childhood. Freya smiled sadly. She remembered all the stares he had received and so desperately tried to ignore when they had traveled across the Mist Continent together. She could feel a few people's stares burning into her back. Her powerful Burmecian hearing could clearly pick up the conversation between two customers at the back of the pub.
"Look at that! A human with a tail!" one of them hissed
"I know! No doubt he's inbred!" came the reply. Snickers echoed in her ears. She knew Zidane could hear them; too, by the way his delicate features were now contorted in sad pain.
"Maybe we should go now?" Freya asked. Zidane nodded.
"You moron! He's heard!"
"Nah chance! He's the moron! Look at 'im! Looks like a girl dunnhe?"
Freya watched Zidane quickly stand up and hurry out. She followed after him.
'Poor boy...I hope he's all right...'

Village of Dali

Dagger was watching Zidane silently. The tailed youth was fast asleep, curled up in a perfect ball with his tail slowly whipping about the patchwork quilt.
"Strange one, isn't he?" Steiner whispered from behind her.
"He's more like a cat then a monkey," the princess noted, as Zidane mewled piteously and curled up tighter. Steiner nodded in agreement.
"I've traveled all over Gaia in my life and I've never met anyone like him," Steiner noted.
The pair stood there as they watched Zidane's tail swish about anxiously. It was obvious he was having a nightmare.
"Should we wake him?" Dagger asked as Zidane let out another catlike whimper.
"That, Your Highness is up to you," Steiner announced.
Steiner left the inn. Dagger sighed and turned round.
"Zidane, wake up," she said kindly.
Zidane let out a sob and opened his eyes.
"Were you having a nightmare?" she whispered. Zidane nodded.
'Now that I think about it, whenever we stayed in a tent on the way here, he always had nightmares...Vivi had to wake him up...Who on Gaia is he?'

Next is Disc 2!