 A gang of thieves disguise themselves as a theatre group to kidnap the princess of the kingdom of Alexandria. Little do they know that the Princess Garnet wanted to escape anyway. A battle ensues and their airship crashes into the  evil  forest. One of the gang, a lively fellow called Zidane takes it upon himself to protect the princess. This might seem a most honorable act but it is more like a bit of skirt chasing. So Zidnae accompanies the Princess and her extremely uptight, in need of a girlfriend bodyguard and a mysterious small creature who performs magic to the neighboring kingdom of Lindblum which is ruled by her uncle who just happens to have been turned into an oglop (cockroach thing). She explains her fear that her mother, the over sized Queen Brahme is up to something. Her fears are right as her mother starts invading everything in sight with advanced weaponry. But something else (there always is. Do you think they would be able to fill 40 hours of game play if the plot was simple) is behind all of this. Namely a cross dressing man called Kuja.