Author's note: It's always great to be able to write for a series I haven't written for in years. Replays help quite nicely.
Dollars and No Sense
Sunlight strewn through the tall tree branches, the peek of blue sky when the leaves parted enough to look up through the spaces; beauty knew no limits in the Salikawood. What also had no limits here were the loopy trails and dead ends. Every couple minutes, Penelo seemed to make a turn and double-back to try another route.
She didn't mind finding routes to follow, but four dead ends in the span of ten minutes was ridiculous.
"I'm getting pretty good, y'know." Vaan boasted next to her, crossing his arms behind his head nonchalantly. He and Penelo were the middle of the traversing party, hanging back while Ashe, Fran and Balthier took the front. Basch followed at the rear.
"Huh?" Penelo completely missed what Vaan talked about.
"The loot we're getting is a lot better than before," Vaan explained when he noticed her perplexed look. "Some of the stuff we have should sell for a stash of cash."
Like the Thief's Cuffs he just bought and equipped had no bearing to his higher quality steals.
Balthier glanced over his shoulder at the conversationalist. "So what does that make you better at? Hoarding?"
Ignoring him, Vaan told Penelo, "Me, acquiring merchandise."
"Do you mean thievery?" Basch spoke from behind, obviously overhearing, as taking up the rear had that advantage.
"He does," Penelo teased when Vaan looked a little smitten. Stealing wasn't a skill he was too fond of sharing publicly. In Rabanastre, stealing meant another meal or going hungry for the night. Out here... well, there were instances of low cash flow that resulted in nearly the same, but being part of a group meant someone would help somebody else out and starvation wasn't truly an issue.
"Can you not make it sound like a sin to do?" Vaan asked Basch.
"Pardon me, I don't mean to offend." Penelo heard a smile creep into Basch's light response.
Ashe, ever on the lookout, pointed to the east. "Over there is a rest area."
Those were lovely words to hear when one's feet ached. Down the planked walkway was a helpful save crystal.
The group settled down with little argument. From Vaan that was a miracle.
Maybe not. Far out at a split in paths, something slow slithered around and Vaan was eying it up and likely adding up dollar amounts. It was yards away, the party not even registering in its detection radar.
Penelo squinted. The creature was a bluish color. Then her face fell in recognition. Tentacles. Evil, face-slapping, headache-inducing whips of torture. A Marlboro with an alluring, flipping crown on top of its head.
"I'm gonna get some treasure." Vaan declared this as he rubbed his hands together.
Fran walked over to him. "It's not wise to wander on your own."
"I'll be fine. You guys won't be out of my sight at all."
"What are you going to get? Didn't we get enough from those things?" Balthier asked.
"The grand prize: the crown. Why didn't I think of this before?" Vaan readied his spear and took off before anyone could refute. "Be right back!"
Ashe shook her head in irritation, but Penelo sensed some melancholy. "He has no worries, does he?"
"He might if that tentacled nuisance gets a hold on him. Better keep an eye on him." Balthier stretched his legs out from his spot on the ground.
Penelo sighed. She always did. But she didn't hate the responsibility. Vaan had caught up to the Marlboro King, taking stabs at it with the very pointy end of his spear before diving in for the grab. He looked to be doing fine. She could take a quick watch break. "Anyone have a fruit? I think we got some."
Fran nodded. "Indeed. Fresh and sweet. Just one?"
"Yep. I'll split it if anyone else wants half."
"Hmm, it does sound appealing." Basch crouched next to her and rummaged through their large sack. "I'll provide the fruit if you would provide the knife."
Penelo chuckled. "Let me clean my dagger again." If the fruit was as juicy and delectable as Fran made it out to be, Penelo was in for a treat.
She finished wiping the blade. Basch handed over her snack when Fran said, "Trouble ascends on the boy."
Swiveling her head, Penelo saw Fran was right. Vaan had gotten his prize crown all right, clutching it against his stomach using one arm. His other arm clumsily swiped the length of spear in the air in front of him and missed by a wide margin, a sure sign of fog in his eyes.
"I should help." Penelo's disappointment met her ears. She was getting comfortable, having found a smooth spot to sit. And now she had to dirty her perfectly clean dagger with Marlboro goop again.
"I will go." Ashe made to move to her sword while Penelo stood.
"Tut, tut, ladies, have no fear." Balthier's words stopped their movement. They looked at him and he, in turn, gazed at Basch. "How do you fare with your bow at great distances?"
Basch studied Vaan's plight, gauging the stretch of space. "I should fare nicely." He smirked at the wholly relaxed man, who made no attempt to get up.
Vaan still thrashed around in his blindness when Basch raised a prepared bow in his direction. His feet firmly planted, his steady arm drew back the taut string. His hawk eyes watched for an opening.
Vaan swung at a wrong angle, away from the overgrown plant. Basch's muscles expelled their stored energy. An arrow whistled through the air. It embedded into the Marlboro's side and the monster slowed. A second arrow hit center in the now flailing creature's head. The Marlboro keeled over and moved no more.
A round of clapping sounded for the archer. Basch flushed. "This was not a show."
"It was indeed." Ashe smiled at him.
Stumbling towards them came Vaan, who managed to take the right remedy to fix his sight. He joined in on the grinning when he plunked himself down. He held out the shining crown. "Score! Did you guys see how that Marlboro went down?"
Of course the guy who missed the whole defeat would think he slayed the beast himself. Penelo let it slide, for the joke was funnier when Vaan didn't know the entire punch line. "Uh, no. Tell us how you did it."
- THE END -