She saw Zidane talking to one of the mages, as if it was nothing, and Applejack crushed the envy rising within. The mage's eyes darted between the two outsiders nervously as he peddled the items hanging from the wall behind him. And after parting one to Zidane for some gil, they left the small shop. As the glow of the fading sunlight lightened her features, she turned to her companion.
“Zidane, how can ya talk to them? Just like that?” He eyed her, respectful consideration flashing through his eyes. They had fought the mages, over and over, and seen what they had done. She hesitated when she approach any within the village. Black Mages, slain by her hoof, constantly pestered her guilt.
“Because they're not the same,” he said with a firm nod, “We fought dolls, and these mages are anything but that.”
“That's because they were 'asleep'.” A saddening sound carried in her voice as she added, “Had we not killed them-”
“We didn't know, and we would have tried something differently if we had. We know now, and we can share this with Cid when we return to take down Brahne.” Moving through the village, he saw the guilt in her eyes, and pressed on.
“Look, you feel guilty, right? Can't you see that they do as well? They were used as puppets to end lives, and they woke up to that...” He quietly looked over the village, provoking the same action from her. “Once we remove Brahne from the throne...” His voice trailed off as they reached the cemetery.
We can free the others. Hope filled her heart, until she followed Zidane's gaze. What she saw commanded her body to move on its own.
She felt the cold handle of the sword in her mouth. Taken aback by how quickly she armed herself, her eyes saw a foe that had nearly sent her plummeting to her death. Black Waltz's eyes met hers, all other things were outside her notice, only it mattered. But her legs refused to move. Her heart held her back, seeing what her mind ignored.
Applejack blinked as she was called out. And the spell broke, and her mind saw what made her heart falter. Spike stood in front of her, Black Waltz's posture invited attack, Zidane's hand on her shoulder, Pinkie anchored between her and Black Waltz, and the chill of the blade in her mouth.
"Applejack! He's okay!" the dragon assured her, snapping something in the mare's mind.
Today's events were too much for her. Her sword fell to the ground as she exhaled, releasing her pent up emotions as well as her ability to defend herself and her friends. Today she had encountered a village more rustic than herself. She had met Black Mages who were friendly and... normal. She reunited with a friend, who's method of reaching them still fell outside her believability. And here, she once more met a foe who her friends were now defending. Defending someone she had never wanted to meet again. Heck, if Kuja appeared right at this moment offering cookies and an apology, she would take it to mark an end of a day of oddities.
Slowly, her breathing returned to her, and her emotions calmed as she looked to her friends.
“If it's the same to ya'll, I'm callin' it a night,” she replied, tiredly placing her blade in it's sheath. Lumbering towards the inn, she worked to put this day behind her, hoping the world would make sense come morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATE: Royal Pardon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dagger's perplexed expression at Applejack's tired posture failed to be answered by the mare, so she walked on to the others, and hesitated when she saw the Black Waltz, who's eye's narrowed when they fell upon her.
“So, he's here too?” She began to suspect the reasons to Applejack's demeanor.
“Yea, but he's totally alright now!” Spike assured, hoping to her win over before she too left them. Not wanting to disappoint him, she moved to Zidane's side before the ragged mage.
“I am not!” No.3 indignantly claimed, “Foul whelp! Don't speak for others so quickly!” It looked to Dagger before shaking its head, “I still feel the urge to capture her. But I can ignore it.” It looked to the pair before him and bowed slightly, “Princess, Monkey, I, apologize,” he barely managed to express.
She had seen it hesitate when Spike talked it down last time. She wanted to accept it's apology, but the memory of his power causing her to pass out sealed her lips. The silence at her side told her Zidane's stance, and the Black Waltz didn't seem moved by the silence.
“Ahhh~ Come on!” Pinkie exclaimed, “Forgive and forget, right?” She asked as she gave a short aside glance to Spike.
Does she want us to do it for Spike? Dagger looked to Spike, her chest aching when she saw traces of sorrow dried on his face.
“It's not easy,” Zidane explained, “forgiving someone that tried to kill you.”
“Well,” Pinkie began, with a sly look, “a lot of things we do aren't easy, so why stop now?” Dagger looked to Zidane, and his face shortly adopted her expression, as she turned back to Black Waltz No.3.
“I cannot speak for my friends, but I forgive your attempts to capture me. You were doing what you were made to do, right?” She was surprised to find herself relieved after saying that, but it was short lived as a thought came to mind. She turned to the Black Mage overlooking all of them, he was giving off an air of authority, “What about the mages he destroyed?” The Black Mage had been ready for such a question, and quickly replied.
“He made his actions present to all of us when he first arrived, we accepted him regardless. He was asleep, as we were, he just woke up differently. Though we forgive him for what he did to the others, we do not speak for you, and I believe you are deserving of giving out any punishment you see fit.” Hearing that, the group of friends were all looking towards Zidane, the air growing tense, waiting on his words.
“Look,” he began as he scratched the back of his head, looking down, “I'll forgive you, if Applejack does. So, you'll have to wait till morning.” He kicked the dirt lightly as he look to the Waltz, “It wouldn't hurt if you learned our names too.” Dagger saw the sky turning to twilight, and now understood what Applejack had gone off for.
“Then it's a done deal~!” Pinkie proclaimed, bouncing around all of them.
“I wouldn't be so sure.” Zidane offered, “You saw the look in her eyes just now.” His words gave the pink mare reason to pause, as they all looked to where Applejack had gone off to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The haze of unconsciousness lessened as she felt the weight in her bed shift. Opening an eye, Applejack witnessed a young dragon quietly leaving the room. The sight slowly dispelled the drowsy fog over her, letting her take in her dark environment. She had gone to bed at the inn, pushing aside the question as to why an isolated village had need of one, and passed out shortly after removing her armor. Her aches and sores cried in joy when she landed on the soft, warm, inviting bed.
Her bed was the bottom one of two bunk beds. She assumed all four beds were occupied, as she felt lingering warmth radiating from next to her within the bed. Spike had shared a bed with her. Her heart warmed as she recalled the times she had done so with Apple Bloom.
“Hey, Zidane, you awake?” Garnet's voice quietly trailed through the room, had Applejack not been wakened by Spike, she would have never heard it.
“Trouble sleeping?” The reply came from the bed over her own.
“Well, it's about Spike, will he be okay?” There was a moment of silence, broken by his reply.
“I wouldn't worry too much. I think, seeing the cemetery and Black Waltz opened his eyes, and now he's trying to figure it all out for himself. He's tough, so I'm sure he'll manage, and if he doesn't, he has us to help him.
“Wouldn't it be better if we helped him first?” The following silence made Applejack eager for a reply. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she didn't want to separate herself from this conversation either. She hadn't noticed anything wrong with Spike, but then again, she didn't get a good look at him when she encountered the Black Waltz. After a minute of silence, Zidane replied.
“I think Pinkie's already taken care of that, she was nearby when he needed her, and she convinced us to forgive the Waltz. Besides, we're already helping him, and our other friends.” His words reminded Applejack of how lucky she was to not be the only Equestrian on Gaia.
Thank ya, Pinkie, for lookin' after Spike while I was bein' a stick in the mud.
“When you say helping them...”
“Yea, helping them find their home.” There was a note to his voice that made Applejack's eyes flush, and she quickly kept her tears in check as their voices fell silent, punctuating the noise of Pinkie's steady breathing, and the songs of the bugs outside.
“Zidane, when you said home-” Garnet was interrupted when Applejack heard a light chuckle above her.
“What's wrong, can't sleep?” he let out a tired, but affectionate sigh as he prompted, “How about a bedtime story? Let's see, once upon a time.”
“There you go again, teasing me,” Garnet replied, almost feigning indignation.
“Once upon a time, there was a man. A man who didn't know where he came from.” His narration carried a hint of longing, and loneliness.
“Zidane?” The princess asked, not masking her concern, but the story continued.
“This man had longed to find his birthplace ever since he was a small child. His birthplace, a place he only remembered in his dreams.
“Why?” She asked, but Applejack understood why.
“He wanted to know more about himself, maybe. About his parents, the house where he was born.” A sigh escaped as he continued the story, “One day, the man left the home of his adoptive father, and went on a quest to find the answer. His only clue was the blue light he saw in his dreams.”
“A blue light?”
“Yea. He thought it might be a memory of his home. An ocean, maybe?”
“Did he find it?” Applejack felt from the tone he was delivering the story, that he had not, but she still listened, failing to realize that she was holding her breath.
“Hey! You're jumping ahead. A lot of things happened along the way.” There was a light pause before he relented, “Alright, we can skip ahead. No, he never found it. How could he? His only clue was a colored light. So he went back to the home of his adoptive father. What do you think his father did when he returned home?”
“Welcomed him home?”
“No way! The father raised his fist and beat the son he had worked so hard to raise.” Applejack had to resist chuckling at that.
“Why?” Garnet asked.
I betcha it was because he was worried. Applejack thought as Zidane replied indignantly.
“I don't know. But you know what surprised him even more? The father smiled, after beating up his son! Can you believe that? He just gave his son a beating.” And though she couldn't see him, she could feel his smile as he concluded his story.
“But this is what the man thought when he saw his father smile. 'This is my home. This is the place I call home.'”
Home, it's so far away. Zidane made a new home, and is still searching for the original. He's spent so much time doing it. Will we be going through the same thing? Zidane spoke up, and she latched onto those words before her thoughts drowned her.
“The man is still looking for his birthplace, but he already has a home, and that's good enough for him.”
Should we start considering that option? her thoughts fell silent at the notion.
“You want to help the others because of that, um, story?” Garnet asked gingerly.
“I can't deny that it's part of the reason, but they're our friends. You know me, I'll go through hell and back for a friend.”
“Why is that?” She asked, her question mirroring Applejack's new line of thinking. She would do the same to help a friend, and wondered what his take on it was.
“I guess... it's just my nature.”
Just his nature? I guess we share that in common. Indeed, her nature was now demanding that she fess up to eavesdropping, so she spoke up.
“Well Zidane,” she smiled as she felt the bed shake from his reaction, “thank ya. It really helps. Fer all of us.”
“Did we wake you?” Garnet asked, an apology laced in her words.
“Now don't ya fret sugar-” she hesitated at her choice of words, then frowned at her hesitation. She's my friend before being a princess, and that's the honest truth!
“Now don't ya fret, sugarcube. Spike woke me, and I'm glad he did. I'm glad I heard that story.” Though it made her think of home, she was glad to know a little bit more about the strange man who's been helping them since crashing into a dark forest. Considering his story, she found it a little amusing. They had both left their homes to seek where they belonged, only to realize they had already had a home waiting for them. Applejack recalled her cutie mark as Zidane spoke up.
“Well,” he began, sounding composed, “if it made you happy, then it's all good. Let's get some rest, while we can.” He got no argument from the others, and they fell silent as Applejack wondered where Spike wandered off to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATE: Moonlight
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike was surprised to see Black Waltz looking over the cemetery when he arrived. The blue glow of the moon shined over the unlit area, and the Black Waltz was unmoving, not noticing the dragon at his side, as they both stared to the moon.
“Are you really sorry?” The dragon's question made the mage flinch, and he looked down at Spike in annoyance.
“If she had tried to run me through, I'm certain I would have let it happen.” Spike had been worried Applejack would do just that, he had not expected her to drop her blade and leave them. Once again, his eyes fell over the cemetery, reminding him of the ebbing ache born from what happened earlier.
“Aren't you scared?” He was fine with perishing, and Spike couldn't fathom why.
“Not really, trying to do something different from what I was made to, that terrified me. I'm not the same as the others. I will dissolve into mist when I perish, there will be no body to lay beside them.” Spike looked over the graves again, keeping his sorrow in check as the mage continued. “I don't know if I share a short lifespan as they do, but the idea of being around when they're all gone, is unsettling.” Spike eyed the ground as he pictured such an outcome, and he nodded as he saw an implication from those words.
“So you're happy here?” His question made the mage briefly glare at him.
“I don't deserve happiness,” he then looked back to the cemetery, eyes falling on the moonlit markers, quietly rustling in the wind. “But, I do find my time here, enjoyable.” Spike made to leave, hearing words that helped banish the thoughts that had kept him awake.
“Thank you.” Spike heard on the breeze, unsure if he had actually heard it or not. His movement stopped, his mouth hanging open as he looked back, the silent shadow of Black Waltz's back greeting him. Spike brought out a staff he's had for some time, it's powers already mastered, and walked back up to the mage.
“This is yours, I think you should have it back.” The mage looked to the staff, then to Spike. He took the staff, and moved into the cemetery. Spike looked on in confusion as he planted the staff into the ground, joining the others in the field.
“This is no longer my staff, but my marker.” Those were the only words he was going to offer Spike, who simply shook his head with a shrug, and returned to his friends, tired from the days events, and feeling as though sleep would now welcome him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Applejack woke up to feel a bundle of warmth next to her. Ah shucks, how am I gonna get outa bed without wakin' him? She had gotten more rest than the others, and took advantage of it by waking first. Being a farmer, she had plenty of practice waking up early. Carefully, and slowly moving from the bed without waking him, she succeeded, only to find herself at an impasse.
Her armor was stacked next to her bed. The pile was waiting for a solid breeze to knock the entire mess into an alarm that would put a rooster to shame. Settling with a sigh over a metal racket, she left the inn, taking in the light glow of the sunrise. Her hooves striking the ground the only noise breaking the rhythm of the morning ambiance. Luckily, the one she was looking for, was waiting for her far enough from the inn to not disturb her friends.
“Hello, Applejack.” Black Waltz No.3 greeted, making her stop, a chill running down her spine at the notion that he knew her name. She suddenly felt exposed in front of her former foe, but wasn't worried. She was stronger now than their first encounter, and though she was unarmed, so was he.
“Ya almost killed me,” she accused, her glare capable of melting ice. Her breathing increased as she saw his expression remain steady, prompting her to let out a short snuff of hot air, visible in the morning dew.
“So did 'ya',” He mocked, making her drag her hoof through the dirt as she hissed.
“Ya shouldn't have hurt my friends!” Her point was punctuated by the sound of a hoof slamming into the dirt, still, his expression was unchanging.
“You should have let me take the princess.” His voice carried a hiss of his own.
“No, I shouldn't have!” She took up a stance to attack him, she wasn't as forgiving as Spike, but it annoyed her that he wasn't shifting to defend himself.
“Aren't ya gonna fire yer spells? Fly up so I can't attack?”
“No, the old me would have. But I met a whelp that made me ask questions. Those questions killed the old me, he's dead, a marker and our memories his only witness.” His words carried emotion this time, which made her take a step back. She shook her head and took two steps forward.
“Ya think yer clever words will make me buy that!?” She charged him, moving to Applebuck him, but he didn't flinch, his expression unchanging again, and again, her movement was stopped.
She glared at him, wondering if he knew being defenseless was the best defense against her. She kicked the dirt and backed away from him, getting a change his is expression, confusion. Oh come on! I can't make him pay if he's lookin' forward to it! The look her friends gave her when she saw him last night flashed through her mind.
“Now ya look here! Ya almost made me fall to my death, destroyed a number of friendly Black Mages, and struck down my friends with yer magic!” Her own words summoned an image she had not been expecting. Freya, fighting by Beatrix's side, despite everything the general did to her and her people. She shook her head, breaking through the wall of hesitation as she tackled the Waltz, pinning him to the ground, with her standing over him.
“So don't think that ya can just expect me to buy that yer a good person all of a sudden!” Her words were not meant for him, but for the friends she left sleeping. Her friends now seemed to trust him, and she had faith in them. She couldn't trust him, but she owed her friends that trust. “Ya want me to punish ya!?” She saw the confirmation in his eyes, mixed with surprise that she was yelling right into his face.
She clubbed him three times in the side of his head, once for each of her friends. She then bucked him into a tree, that last one was for her. The wind was knocked out of him, but he was still coherent. She moved over him, her hoof aching, her breathing heavy.
“Consider yerself punished,” She curtly declared. “Don't threaten anyone else ever again, ya hear me?” Once again, her face at his, their eyes inches apart. She caught his slight nod, and it slowly dispelled her hostile attitude. She's seen enough of these mages to figure that lying was beyond them, that and her trust in her friends was enough for her to leave Black Waltz be. She stepped back, but thinking not to leave empty hoofed, she dug into him.
“We're lookin' fer a man named Kuja, would ya know him?”
“I, I-” his composed attitude was now completely gone. It was clear to the mare that he had not expected her to let him live. “I, yes, I've heard that there is a palace he resides in. It's past a place called Sanctuary by the dwarves. You should be able to get there by passing through their village.” He considered what he knew for a moment before adding, “Kuja once mentioned that there was a secret in this land, concerning the source of the mist.”
“Wait, ya talked to him?” She moved back into his face, and this time, there was fear in his eyes. And what's that about the mist?
“Not myself, Mr. 288 did, a couple days ago.” He quickly got out, and his emotions made her realized that she was practically bullying him, just like Mr. 33 yesterday.
“Oh, I see,” her voice hinting at an apology as she stepped away from her former foe. She took several deep breaths as she slowly let go of the mood she had built herself up upon. Then his answer played through her mind, dragging her mood towards the opposite spectrum. Wait, really!? Her expression lightened, the rest of her poor mood dispelled, Finally! We're gettin' somewhere! “Thanks for the info!” I need to get my friends up and moving, we gotta return to the dwarves! And she made to leave, but hesitated, “Black Waltz No.3, don't do anythin' bad, ever again, please.” Her plea was honest, and it made him look embarrassed, and his embarrassment eased her apprehension. I really don't want to see Spike bein' disappointment by him.
Reaching the inn, she decided to waken her friends, and get them going, in the most practical manor possible. She put on her armor.
“I'm awake!” Pinkie shouted, springing out of the bed fully dressed and composed as the pile of metal fell to the ground, helping break the others from their drowsy delirium.
“Come on everybody!” Applejack beamed, her enthusiasm a spell that infused the others with energy. “I know where we can find Kuja, so let's get a move on!” She declared, ready to tackle the day, feeling the confusion of yesterday falling behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Moogle Notes:
~~~~~~~~~~~
'Hello Equestrian! Mois here to talk to you about Gaia!'
'Finding a Chocobo's Sanctuary is not easy! We ran/swam all over the coast and all the small islands and the desert and it was just too much! Kupo!'
~~~~~~~~
Applejack
~~~~~~~~
Items Equipped:
Ice Brand: Mental Break(mastered)
Deals Ice damage, Add ST: Freeze.
AJ's Mythril Hat: Round-Up!(mastered), Long Reach, Ability Up(mastered)
Mythril Scabbard: MP Attack, Counter
Iron Barding: Add Status(mastered), Bug Killer(mastered)
Mythril Reinforced Saddlebag: Apple-cider(mastered), HP+10%
Lvl-22 HP 1504/1504 MP 39/82
AP 1/29
Beast Killer (4) - Deals lethal damage to beasts.
Bug Killer (2) - Deals lethal damage to insects.
Bird Killer (3) - Deals lethal damage to flying enemies.
Antibody (4) - Prevents Poison and Venom.
*Cover(6) - You take damage in place of an ally
*Ability up (3) - Characters learn abilities faster.
Long Reach (16) - Back row attacks like front row.
*Counter (8) - Counter-attacks when physically attacked.
*Add Status (3) - Adds weapon's status effect when you attack.
*MP Attack (5) - Uses own MP to raise Attack Pwr.
*HP+10% (4) - Increases HP by 10%.
Abilities:
Apple Arts:
Applebuck 12 MP - High chance of removing an enemy from battle.
Apple Toss 8 MP - Restores HP of single target, Cures Doom and Trouble.
Hog Tie 8 Mp - Traps single target, causes Applebuck to do high damage.
Round-Up! 16 MP - A group of enemies count as a single enemy for a short duration.
Apple-cider 2 MP - Lures the target to attacking only you.
Sword Arts:
Minus Strike 8 MP - Damages with the difference between your max HP and current HP.
Armor Break 4 MP - Reduces the enemy's Defense.
Mental Break 8 MP - Reduces the enemy's Magic Defense.