FINAL FANTASY: INQUISITION
By Thomas Knapp
Act Three- Scene One
The town of Orland's Point was not nearly as large as one would suspect for the main port for the Northern Continent. The harbor made up half the town, and shipping companies made up the majority of the remainder. Add an inn, and three different taverns, along with houses dotting the town limits, and that was about all she wrote for Orland's point.
"I could use some pretty good rotgut right now…" Creed commented. "Anyone care to join me?"
"Normally, Priests are forbidden from alcoholic consumption, save on holy days… but, what the hell…" Fredros replied with a passive shrug, "I declare this day, by the power vested in me, a holy one!"
"I might as well join you…" Harmon added, "But where did you say we were going again?"
"The pub." Fredros reminded.
"Oh yes… that we are…"
Borz jumped up and down, and said, "Some booze would really hit the spot! I'm coming!"
"Are you even old enough?" Creed asked, more taking a shot at Borz than really questioning the Black Mage's age.
Before another fight between Creed and Borz could develop, Fredros stated, "Borz is more than old enough to take his liquor, don't let his smallish stature confuse you."
Yura bit her lower lip, and said sheepishly, "I didn't know there was such an age restriction…"
Fredros waved his hand, dismissing the statement. "It varies from kingdom to kingdom, but I don't think they'd ask any questions. Just keep that horn of yours covered, and there shouldn't be any problems."
Creed mumbled something about jumping on the bandwagon, but reluctantly added, "Hell, might as well make it a group activity. You coming, Tamara?"
The knight jerked as if she had been shot at. "Oh, I… I don't think so…"
"Trigger?"
The ninja seemed to think about this then, with a passive shrug, nodded. Creed smirked, and said, "Even the freak is gonna cut loose, Tamara. You sure you don't want to join us?"
"No… I mean, yes… I'm sure…" Tamara reiterated. It became increasingly evident that she was distracted by something, but no one could be sure just exactly what was going on in the Inquisitor's head. She walked away slowly towards the outskirts of town.
Creed pressed the issue of Tamara no longer, and then asked, "Midas, you gonna join us?"
Midas's attention was focused on the retreating form of Tamara, and he said softly, "No… you go ahead, I'm not too fond of alcohol anyway."
"Suit yourself." Borz said happily then took the lead to the nearest of the three taverns. Yura paused for a second, watching as Midas started to walk off in the direction Tamara had headed. For a moment, she wondered if she should follow, then decided that her interference would probably not be taken kindly. Besides, curiosity took hold, and so she took off after the group heading to the bar.
Tamara picked up a piece of rotted board that had fallen from the tiny, ugly, abandoned house; the house that she had called home during some very turbulent times. Memories washed over her like a slow tide, some pleasant, some joyous, some terrifying, and some definitely hurtful. As if she was wary of what might be inside, she stood on her tiptoes to look inside a window that had been boarded up, but had been exposed through the passing of time.
"Welcome home, Tamara." Midas drawled, causing Tamara to whirl around in alarm. She had been so preoccupied with her inner thoughts that she had not realized he had been following her.
Midas walked right by her, and stood in front of the doorway to the house, the rotted, stained door hanging off its hinges, trying to fall to the ground. "Why try to go through the window when the door is right here?"
Tamara turned her head away, and said, "I… don't think I want to go in…"
"What is in there that frightens you?" Midas asked softly, "If you want, I can go in with you. I'll be right here."
That tenderness… the same look of concern he had when she had woken up in the Outlands. Tamara found herself nodding in spite of herself. Perhaps her fears WERE ridiculous. It was in the past. Besides, Midas promised to go in with her… Tamara approached the door, and with a deep breath of air, as if she might suffocate inside, Tamara stepped through the doorway, Midas but a step behind.
The first thing Midas noticed was that the house wasn't much larger than his old hut in the Outlands. There were only two rooms, a diminutive kitchen that was mostly occupied by one wood burning stove with room remaining for barely one person, and then a living/sleeping area, marked by three cots in severe disrepair, covered by roofing material that had collapsed from above through the years.
Tamara gingerly stepped to the smallest cot, the one that she had slept in for her early years. Reaching underneath the torn and battered bed, she pulled out a small toy that Midas had to get closer to see clearly.
It was a small, stuffed moogle, its normally white fur stained gray from dirt and debris. One glassy eye was missing, and the bulb on the top of its head had been torn off, small threads of pink yarn serving as the only reminder that anything had been there at all. Unable to contain herself any longer, Tamara burst, crying the tears of a little girl that had never had the chance to express her sorrow.
Midas placed a hand on her shoulder gently, and Tamara reeled in her sobs. "It was my fifth birthday…" She began, "Gregor, my father's real name, had just come home from working at the shipyards…"
20 years ago, same house…
Little Tamara sat straight up on her cot as she heard the telltale whistling that meant her father was home. She waited patiently at the door until it finally opened, and she flung herself into her father's arms.
"DADDY!" Tamara shouted as Gregor returned the hug.
"Tamara, sweetie. I can always count on your welcome, can't I?" Gregor said as he put her down onto the floor, "Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you…"
Tamara LOVED surprises, so she closed her eyes in anticipation as her father put something soft in her hand. Opening them, she saw the most beautifully woven stuffed moogle, its fur as white as fresh fallen snow.
Gregor smiled, and whispered, "Happy birthday, sweetie."
"Oh, Daddy, its WONDERFUL!" Tamara cried, giving her father another hug, "THANK YOU!"
"Dear…" Tamara's mother called from the entrance to the kitchen, "Did you spend Tamara's schooling money for that thing?"
"No, Alicia…" Gregor comforted, "I did some repairs on the weaver's home, and he paid me with that. Besides, it's her birthday… she deserves a present."
At that moment, a regal voice bellowed, "PEASANT! Come out, for we have a new edict to relate!"
Gregor turned towards the door, concern etched on his face. "What now?" He asked rhetorically, then exited the house. Alicia watched out the open door, yet held Tamara back from following her father.
Gregor talked quietly with the royal assembly, then shouted, "A WHAT? WINDOW TAX?"
"Yes!" The summoner replied just as loud, for Tamara could now see the horn that the man at the head of the assembly sported quite clearly, "Every window that can be seen from the outside shall now receive a 2000 gil tax per year."
"What in the hell for?" Gregor snapped incredulously.
"We must prepare for a war with Artica, and our war funds are terribly short."
"ANOTHER war with Artica… what is it about THIS time?"
"I do not appreciate your tone, peasant." The summoner warned.
"Why must I stay silent while you waste my money fighting over trivial land disputes? What territory are you squabbling over now? Can this one even be used in any meaningful fashion? Or is it just more pointless chest beating to prove who has more balls?"
The summoner's face tightened in anger, and in one swift movement, he cuffed Gregor across the face, drawing a deep bloody gash across the side of Gregor's head, and causing the carpenter to collapse. "Hold your tongue, worm. You are in the presence of nobility!"
Tamara escaped her mother's grasp, and charged at the assembly. "Leave my father alone!" She yelled in fury, ignoring her mother's feeble pleas to return. Tamara rushed up to kick the summoner in the shin, but the summoner reached down and grabbed Tamara by the neck. "You should teach your daughter some respect for noble blood." The summoner hissed towards Gregor's prone form. Turning to look at Tamara, the summoner spit in the little girl's face, and threw her hard to the ground next to her father.
"The appraisers and collectors will be through here tomorrow at sunrise." The summoner declared, "I suggest you be ready."
That night, Gregor boarded up all the windows in his house.
Present day…
"Well… I can see why you don't like summoners." Midas commented, deciding now was not a good time to tell Tamara about his possible heritage.
"My mother died 3 months later. Doctors later attributed her death to smoke inhalation from cooking without proper ventilation." Tamara continued, "At that point, something about my father… changed… He became hell-bent on destroying all summoners and magic-users. I figured it would end when he successfully led the revolution… but it didn't…"
Ten Years Ago, Hamil, capitol city of North Landing…
"How COULD you?" Tamara demanded, "What did you DO?"
"I did what I said I would do. It is not MY FAULT that those… monsters believed what Hijo told them!" Gregorian replied furiously, "All magic-users must die, or they will come back to destroy EVERYTHING I have built."
"Fine… whatever." Tamara snapped, then quickly changed the subject "What is this I hear that you are trying to marry me off to your self-appointed King of North Landing?"
"King Sabol is a good, rational man who will take care of you, Tamara."
"He's FOURTY YEARS OLD!"
Gregorian snorted, "So what?"
Tamara accused, "Or is it true that you just want a relative INSIDE North Landing to increase your influence in a nation that doesn't seem to want to follow your violent path?"
"WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT?" Gregorian bellowed.
"A little moogle told me." Tamara replied, "I will NOT be your tool, father. This is my life!"
"How DARE you?" Gregorian shouted back, "You WILL marry King Sabol, and you will LIKE IT!"
"I don't think so, because I AM NO LONGER YOUR DAUGHTER!"
Gregorian stopped short, his facial expression one of alarm and disbelief, "You… BITCH! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
"FINE WITH ME! I CAN'T GET OUT OF IT SOON ENOUGH!" Tamara didn't even bother to pack anything. She just stormed out of the castle in Hamil with no intent of coming back.
On her way out, a blue haired woman stepped to her side and said, "I heard that you are having problems with Gregorian."
"Where did you get that idea?" Tamara replied, not even looking at the woman beside her.
"You misunderstand… I HEARD it, as did half the castle, I'd wager." The woman answered with a chuckle, "I heard that you want to get away from your father, and I know the perfect way."
That got Tamara's attention. She stopped, and demanded, "How?"
"My name is Karma." The blue haired woman replied, "and I am the recruiter for the Inquisitor Knights. Your father may have started our organization, but he has no hand in it now. You could join us, and become totally autonomous from the politics and power plays that your father now seems to revel in."
Further advertising was no longer necessary. With no hesitation, Tamara asked, "Where do I enlist?"
Present day…
"Well…" Midas said, then realized that he had nothing to say beyond that.
"I'm sorry to have bothered you with my troubles." Tamara apologized.
"Don't worry about it." Midas said comfortingly, "It's sometimes good to tell someone what bothers you. It doesn't seem as imposing that way."
Wiping away tears, Tamara turned to Midas, and said, "Then what about you? What is burning in your soul?"
"Not much." Was the reply, "My past is pretty straightforward. No family, living in a wasteland for 20 years. If any issues come up, I'll let you know."
Flinging herself into Midas arms, she found herself somewhat surprised when he returned the embrace, "Thank you… for listening." She muttered against his shoulder
"Eh… what are friends for, huh?" Midas responded, hoping she wasn't seeing the flush in his cheeks. Fortunately, the inside of the house was quite dark, and so she didn't. Tamara then turned to face him, leaning forward, and her lips brushed against his. That served nicely to jolt the two of them out of the moment. Tamara turned her head in embarrassment, and Midas coughed uncomfortably.
"We better be getting back." Midas said.
"Yes…"
Outside the Drunken Chocobo…
"Well… I suppose we must move out." Midas said when they all had gathered. Fortunately, none of them appeared to have gotten intoxicated. However, when Yura emerged, Midas rephrased his thoughts.
"Heya, MIDAS!" Yura commented between hiccups, "I think I feel kinda sick…" And she proved it when she threw up on Harmon's shoes.
Midas pursed his lips, "Was no one watching her?"
"She seemed fine!" Borz said defensively, "Then after the bartender told us about… oh dear…"
"WHAT?"
Creed smirked, and said, "We were told about what was called 'The Reaper's Gigglejuice'… I think it is 90% alcohol… at least that's what the bartender said… Yura might have ordered one without thinking about it."
"It washe GOOOOOOD…" Yura affirmed, then promptly threw up again.
Ignoring Yura, Creed asked Midas, "So… what did you two do?"
"Nothing much…" Tamara replied, "Just… talked…"
It was fortunate that Yura was unable to really process her surroundings, for the color on Midas and Tamara's faces suggested SOMETHING other than talking happened. Things that the other members of the party, warmed from their beverages, started to mull over.
"So… I take it you… enjoyed each other's company…" Fredros replied cryptically.
"I guess so…" Midas began, then his eyes narrowed, "Just what do you mean by that?"
Borz jumped in, "Did you do it, or not?"
Just then, Yura intervened with an ear-splitting belch that drew a round of applause from the patrons inside the pub. It served as quite a conversation killer.
"That was charming…" Tamara finally noted.
"Quite." Harmon added, "I'm amazed that such a gas compression could occur in such a slight frame…"
Midas decided to bring the discussion to a serious topic. "Will she be alright in time to find the summoner cavern?"
Harmon answered that question, "Oh… I already know where it is. Using texts that were salvaged during the revolution, several scholars like me were able to discern the labyrinths locations." He patted his right side, then asked, "Now where did my satchel go…?"
"Left side." Creed reminded.
Harmon turned to his left, and said happily, "Oh yes… so it is!" Reaching into the leather bag, he pulled out several pieces of crumpled paper. "The one problem is that the cavern lies across the Mud Sea."
"The Mud Sea?" Midas asked.
Tamara answered, "It is a depression that serves as a natural barrier between North Landing and Artica, in which every spring takes in the snowmelt from the nearby mountains to the east, turning the land into a giant mud puddle."
"This mud would swallow up a person traveling a normal speed, so we will have to… liberate some chocobos to take us across, since they are the only ones capable of traversing across the mud fast enough. The cavern is located in the foothills east of it."
"And since there are no Chocobo stables here, we're going to have to north to Hamil." Midas finished. "Very well… let's have Yura sleep off her tipsiness, then we will leave tomorrow."
"Thanks. Let me drunk, I think I'm too sleep." Yura answered, pointing in the general direction of the inn.
End Scene One