"Ash."
...
"Ashley!"
...
"Ashley, come on. We're gonna get in trouble!"
*Slap*
Ashley awoke with a shock from the brief, but sharp pain in her arm. Her eyes shot open to see her roommate looking at her with a concerned look about her.
"Wha- What time is it?" Ashley asked, still rubbing her eyes.
"It's five-fifteen. I don't want to have to drag your ass to formation five minutes late again." Suzie replied, not hiding a just a tiny bit of annoyance.
"Fine! Fine!" Ashley said as she forced herself to get out of her nice, bed. She slowly meandered towards their bathroom in order to make herself look presentable. She placed both grey palms on the sink and rolled her neck. Followed by splashing some water on her face. Sufficiently woken up, she looked at herself in the mirror. A young nezumi woman looked back at her. Looking like she'd love nothing more than to go back to bed. Her blonde hair was still a mess. But aside from that and her facial expression, she was a healthy, pretty Burmecian girl. She stared directly into the green eyes that she inherited from her mother. Eyes from Ma. Hair from Pa. Disposition from Ma as well. Or so she's told. As Ashley began her daily hygiene routine, she could hear her best friend and roomie, Suzie rummaging through their pantry. Oatmeal as usual. Not that She was complaining.
After Ashley dried herself off from a quick shower, she threw her uniform on. That of a Private First Class in the Burmecian Army. Mostly the same blue outfit worn since before the war. Sans the goofy helmet. Thank heavens. She and Suzie were conscripted when they were both sixteen. As all Burmecian youths were for the past quarter of a decade. You spend a year as a green recruit. Then another year in more advanced battle and tactics training. After two years, a burmecian was free to leave. Or to pursue a career in the military. Maybe even get a chance to become a legendary dragon Knight. Ashley and her friend were about fourteen months in. And she, for one, couldn't wait til her time was up. The burmecian made her bed and eyed her room to make sure everything was in it's right place. Bed was made, nothing cluttered, not visible dust. It was a nicer place than what one would expect for a conscript in a recovering nation's military. One of the pros of Burmecia still being too big for it's population, Ashley mused.
Ashley walked into the main living area with just a little more spring in her step. Suzie beamed at her. ... Fucking morning people. Suzie's curly, strawberry blonde hair bounced as she walked to and fro. setting two bowls of porridge on a small wooden table and rinsing the pot in the sink. Ashley plopped down on the chair in front of her bowl.
"Morning, Suz." Ashley said as she continued to fantasize about the warm bed in her room. Suzie sat down across from her.
"Morning, sleepy cakes!" Suzie said with as much intentional enthusiasm as she could. Suzie was Ashley's friend. Which meant it was her duty to rustle the other nezumi's jimmies from time to time. Ashley gave a half-annoyed smirk, before she began to dig in. Oatmeal with cinnamon and some slices of apple. Pretty good. Ashley thought as she shoveled another spoonful into her mouth. Suzie took it as a compliment.
"Mind your uniform. Apparently there's gonna be a big announcement on the highway system today." Suzie said. Doting on Ashley was another way to get under her skin. But it was still sometimes necessary for the young woman.
"Announcing what? It's almost done. We all know that. This big "trans-mist-continent roadway is just gonna be way for recruits to blow all their money in Lindblum or Treno. I don't see the huge boon to Burmecian Tourism." Ashley waved her hand in front of her face and flashes a sarcastic grin.
"Come to Beautiful Burmecia! It only rains seventy percent of the time instead of a hundred, now! See a tiny population of filthy rats struggle to rebuild as you shed crocodile tears and offer fake condolences!" Ashley dished out her mock sales pitch and Suzie's cheer softened for a moment.
"Ashley, most humans aren't like that anymore. All the one's that I've met are super sweet." Suzie said. Ashley responded without even waiting to swallow.
"Mmmph. Oh, Sure! Yeah. That dopey queen of there's tells them to "be nice!" and suddenly open contempt wasn't in the vogue anymore!" Suzie interrupted Ashley's tirade.
"They suffered, too you know. At the hands of the Terran. Of Kuja." Suzie said. Trying to temper Ashley's rant before it got out of hand. Ashley wasn't having it, today.
"Oh. Sure. Sure. They were only decimated, instead of demi-mated... Eighty-percent-mated! They don't care. They held a tearful, fucking funeral for the the hag that did this to us while we were scraping shit in our holes! To terrified to even mourn!" Suzie stammered. She was looking visibly upset. "You know, I met the woman in charge of our invasion. Beatrix, the old General. My parents used to take me to Alexandria to chum it up with our conquerors all the time!" Ashley paused to take a swig of coffee, then continued. A hint of a hiss entered her voice.
"She didn't care! Nobody cared. It was all just business as usual. My mother would look that dirtbag like they were war buddies! She literally forbade my father from ever bringing it up. I always wished that he would leap across their fancy banquet table and slash her from her throat to her barren-"
"Ashley, please!" An agitated Suzie finally shouted out. She was holding her long ears down the sides of her face. Eyes shut, and tearing up. Ashley realized that she went from zero to tirade too quickly and unprovoked.
"You know I don't like hearing people talking about wanting to kill!" The distressed burmecian said. Ashley's face darkened. She did know what these arguments did to Suzie. Tender thing her best friend was. Sometimes she wondered where all this fire and brimstone came from. That kind of vitriol was usually something that came out of someone who actually survived the Alexandrian attacks. To the "rising generation", black mages were strange, friendly foreigners, and Garland and Kuja were just boogie men. They could have been from two thousand years ago, instead of twenty-six. Ashley supposed that she spent too much time with her mother, Freya. She always envied Fratley, her father. He had as many memories of old Burmecia and Ashley herself did. It didn't mean that he didn't care. Her father was a national hero and a driving force behind Burmecia's newfound strength. It was likely to his benefit that he didn't have the ... baggage that the other survivors had. A whimper from Suzie brought Ashley back from her thoughts.
"Suzie, I-. I'm sorry. I shouldn't lose control like that. Listen, Let's go get some ice cream at Ratigan's tonight. My treat!" Suzie's demeanor began to improve.
"That sounds n-nice." Suzie said as her crying subsided.
"Yeah! Now let's go see what this "big road announcement" is. We don't wanna be late." Ashley said, quick to move on from this embarrassing moment. She was just cranky. Ashley Iron tail was not a morning person. No matter who started it, reigniting a race-war was not what she wanted. Not really. She just liked to blow off some steam, now and again.
The pair of burmecian conscripts walked a couple city blocks to where their daily formation is held. About a hundred nezumi were standing around in a gaggle. Her company and a fresher group of conscripts. Still in basic training. Her company was shooting shit, some smoking cigarettes. The trainers were silent in a near perfect formation. The drill sergeants were mingling with her own company. Ashley's eyes narrowed. She recognized a couple of them. Sergeant Green, their first-line, the one that they directly answer to, was waiting for them. He greeted them with a friendly smile.
"Ladies! Always a good day when I don't have to send someone to drag your asses out of bed!" He said, ribbing them casually.
"That's what I said this morning! I practically had to beat Ashley out of bed!" Suzie responded cheerfully. Before the conversation could continue, the platoon leaders shouted for the formation to begin. All the rats stood in their proper rows. The gaggle immediately turned into a proper military formation. Each soldier stood in parade rest. feet spread a bit past the shoulders. hands clasped at the small of the back. Captain Vanderbelt approached. First Sergeant Jacobs as well as the Senior instructor of the greenhorns gave the order.
"Company!" They shouted aloud.
"Platoon!" Each platoon leader followed.
"Attention!" First Sergeant Jacobs yelled out with gusto. Every soldier in the formation snapped to attention. Standing straight up. Feet together. Hands straight at the side with thumbs at the hem of their pants. "Alright. Enough with the formalities. Let's hear it!" Ashley thought. As if she read the girl's thoughts, Captain Vanderbelt cut right to the chase.
"Soldiers! I'd tell you to sit down for this one, but this is a formation! Not a book club! Take a deep breath, ladies and gentlemen. Because I'm about to blow your fuckin' minds!" Ashley's eyebrow perked. She noticed a few twitches in the soldiers in front of her. But for the most part, the formation stayed professional. Vanderbelt really knew how to sell even the most mundane announcements. She continued.
"The transcontinental highway is complete. The nations of the Mist Continent united in safe and affordable land travel. Four countries. United in Gaian brotherhood. Trading goods, ideas, and friendship." "Four nations?" Ashley thought? Burmecia, Alexandria, Lindblum, and... Treno? But Treno is just a part of Alexandria. Missidia or Conde Petie? Why would they give a shit about the Mist Continent's Roads? Or are they building roads over oceans now? Captain Vanderbelt sure as shit wasn't talking about Cleyra! A few years after Kuja's defeat, the Cleyrans restarted their sandstorm to rebuild in peace. Accepting the pittance of food and materials offered by the human nations, but none of the carpenters or workers to help rebuild. Men and women who would just end up helping with Burmecia. The few people of Cleyra were presumed to go back to the hippie lifestyle they enjoyed for centuries before Queen Icebox launched her assault. Albeit on a flatter, more mundane living surface. Could they have something to do with what's so "mind blowing". Captain Vanderbelt continued.
"You heard me! Four nations! There will be a ceremony tomorrow afternoon to open the roads right here in Burmecia! In attendance with be His Highness King Puck, Queen Garnet Alexandros the somethingth and King Zidane of Alexandria, Regent Cid Fagioli the thirty-sixth or whatever and Regentess... Regentess? Regentess Hilde of Lindblum, And finally... Her honor... President Adel Kildea of Cleyra! All united to open new trade and relations between the nations and people of the Mist Continent!" The captain paused to let that sink in. Cleyra! The city of illusion! Cleyra was opening her doors. Any pretenses of professionalism dropped within the formation.
"Cleyra!"
"I thought I'd never see it with my own eyes!"
"My parents have friends there that they made after the attacks!"
"The illusion lifts itself!"
"The hell's a president?"
Ashley couldn't believe it herself. Any visitors, nezumi or otherwise made it to the edge of the sandstorm and were kindly told by several signs to fuck off. The few fools brash enough to cross it on foot, or by air were never heard from again. Attempts after the first few were rare. Vanderbelt began to speak again. The soldiers were wise enough to get back in line. Her voice was the only one heard.
"Best of all. A few of our shining young superstars have been selected to attend and represent the new Burmecian army! You'll be mingling with soldiers or other nations, not to mention the elite! The beautiful people of the Mist continent. Merchants! Entertainers! Royalty! First Sergeant Jacobs will read out the list of those selected." Captain Vanderbelt stepped back and her staff officer stepped forward with a list.
"Ah-hem! The men and women who have been selected for the road shindig!" Jacobs brought the list to his face.
"Lieutenant Vaughn! Sergeant Green! Sergeant Mills! Corporal Rattinski! Specialist Seth! Specialist Wendell! Private First Class Bandit! Private First Class Nezu! Private Myuu! Private Cheryle! and Private Chu!" Ashley sighed in relief. She thought for sure that her parents would drag her to this stupid-
"And of course. Private First Class Iron Tail will be attending with her parents Fratley and Freya Iron Tail!" The formation had some giggles at this. Ashley held back a mini-trance.
"Grrrghhhhrrrr!" Ashley grumbled. Captain Vanderbelt stepped back up.
"Oh! Anyone going to the thing tomorrow is off for the rest of the day. Rest up! Make yourselves and your uniforms pretty! Arrive here at nine am. A carriage will take you to the area of interest. Don't be late! Everyone else can resume training as usual." Captain Vanderbelt got back into the position of attention.
"Company!" She yelled out.
"Platoon!" The platoon leaders followed.
"Attention!" Vanderbelt yelled. No one moved in Ashley's formation. They were already in attention. Some of the trainees snapped to parade rest. The captain forgot to put them into parade rest at the start of the briefing... Captain Vanderbelt closed her eyes and smiled with a tiny bit of embarrassment.
"Dismissed!" She shouted out and her soldiers crowded to each of their platoon leaders. Except for the trainees who snapped to parade rest. They were doing push-ups in the dirt. Privates First Class Ashley Iron Tail and Suzie Bandit joined Sergeant Green with their platoon. The three were selected to for the road ceremony. So after some more "Don't fuck up!" from the platoon leader, and some "mummy and daddy" ribbing from the platoon as a whole, the trio beat feet out of there. Ashley was pretty stoked to have the day off at least. She was joined by Suzie and their first line, Siegfried Green. Seigy was walking with the two girls. They were friendly with each other. Sergeants weren't allowed to be "friends" with privates. Nobody cared. Siegfried was a buddy when he was a PFC and the pair were fresh recruits. Siegfried was ecstatic to be selected for this fancy event. "I've never left Burmecia before!" He said with glee. Siegfried was twenty-five years old. One of the first baby burmecians born after the attacks. So the oldest of those ignorant of the horrible event. Ashley didn't quite share his enthusiasm.
"Siegfried, We're going to a crummy road on the outskirts of the city. It's gonna be cold and rainy. And the big-wigs would probably split after like five minutes." Suzie giggled.
"Heehee! Sure. Sigfried and I probably won't get to meet anyone special. But you already have! The famous Sir Fratley, The beautiful Lady Freya, The plucky Freya jr..." Suzie was usually the sweetest thing in the world. But she knew how to push her friends' buttons. She was right though. When she was a little girl. She would see her mother's old comrades all the time. The king and Queen, the knight captain, the royal chef, a creepy red-headed hobo, and the adopted daughter of the Lindblum dynasty. Many had kids of their own. Kids older than Ashley by a few years. They were all cheerful and friendly to at the time a happy little rat girl. Even the stern, no-nonsense General Beatrix always greeted her with a smile. In hindsight, she was probably just happy to see a nezumi that didn't want her crucified. Ashley did technically "know" some powerful people. She hadn't seen any of them in years, since she was waist high at the shortest of them. But she knew them.
"Oh! You still owe me that ice-cream, missy!" Suzie explained! Ashley raised an eyebrow.
"It's seven in the morning! Let's get it later. I want some breakfast!" she retorted.
"We already had breakfast! Besides, you promised to take me after your little outburst." Suzie pouted. Ashley's pupils shrunk, her nose scrunched up, and her teeth bared into a poorly disguised smile of rage. Siegfried smirked.
"Brunch, then." Ashley said through gritted teeth. Siegfried interjected.
"Ashley, Ashley, Ashley! Are you still on about the humans? Baby! That's so eighteen-oh-five. Puck, Garnet, and Cid are as thick as thieves! You're too dour." Ashley smirked.
"That's funny. I'll bet burmecians were saying things like that in seventeen-ninety-nine, too." Sigfried and Suzie gave her a deadpan expression. Fuck them! It was a clever response! Ashley would consider this little argument won. Although it was a shallow victory.
"Alright, fine. We'll go get ice cream!" Ashley said, defeated.
"Hooray!" Suzie and Siegfried shouted in unison. The trio headed to Ratigan's. They were greeted with friendly and encouraging smiles from several citizens on the way. The three entered the large, rustic diner and sat at a table.
Ratigan's Diner was a place of cultural significance to this area of Burmecia. If not officially. The owner, Price Ratigan, was a large nezumi man with broad shoulders, slick hair, and pencil mustache. His villainous appearance belied his jovial and friendly nature. A survivor of the attacks, The older rat was also one of the very, very few stories of those dark times that would get a laugh out of those that heard it. Hiding in his wine cellar during the attacks He emerged after a day or two of quiet. He looked around. He searched house after house. Screaming and shouting for another friendly soul. Throwing caution to the wind. Finally he looked at the death and destruction sitting silently around him and fell to his knees in despair. Right in the middle of the road outside his establishment. As the shock and the weight of the situation dawned upon him. He cried out in anguish.
"Monsters! All of you! All of you, fiends! Why weren't you more thorough?! You left me! You left me all alone! I am a nezumi! The last... nezumi!" Little did he know. As he poured his broken heart out, that he was being watched by dozens of Nezumi. He looked up and saw the eyes upon him. Families that hid in their attics. Devastated emotionally, but otherwise unharmed. There was a silence as Price gazed up at his impromptu audience. Then, a single burmecian child giggled. Suddenly the large, imposing burmecian man had about thirty or forty of his kind laughing in uproar at him. Ratigan blushed. But he wasn't angry. He smiled and began to laugh. He then dropped his face back to the ground and wept. He was crying and laughing uncontrollably at the same time. After all that, he was merely relieved that there were others who were made it. He was not the rubble of a destroyed race. They were still a people. A people who were down, but not out.
From that point on. Price would take guff from the populus. Word of his outburst spread among the survivors. And a consensus was reached. Price Ratigan had overacted so hard that if Kuja himself had witnessed it, he would have gained a new respect for the rats and the sheer hamminess that they were capable of. He would have then changed his ways.
A waiter approached the three soldiers and greeted them.
"Good morning! Welcome to Ratigan's! How may I serve three proud soldiers on this beautiful, misty morning?" He asked. If there was any sarcasm, it was hidden well. Ashley ordered ice cream and waffles. Still kinda-sorta breakfast. Suzie had a banana split, and Siegfried had scrapple and eggs with toast. They dug in and chatted about the coming day.
"So this road ceremony. Do you think there will be good food?" Siegfried asked. Ashley scoffed at this.
"Dude, you're eating right now, and that's all that concerns you about tomorrow?" Ashley asked, grinning. Siegfried didn't blink.
"Yeah! Nothing more important than food! Besides. Maybe that Oracle Kildea lady will bring something exotic!" He said, eyes lighting up.
"President Kildea. I guess the cleyrans decided a clear mind in the present was better than eyes in the future." Suzie corrected. Ashley's eyes lit up.
"Oh shit, that's right! Cleyra! What do you think that's about? People can go there now? Are they gonna end the sandstorm?" Ashley asked excitedly. Ashley's parents took her all over the world. She's even been off-continent. But she had never visited Cleyra except as an infant. Right before the storm was reactivated.
"Oh man, going to Cleyra would be rad! I heard that after the war, they started allowing males to preform the sandstorm dance. And that's a pretty big sandstorm!"
"Ooof. There's... there's still girl dancers, right?" Siegfried asked. Suzie shrugged.
"Hell if I know. But I don't see why not." Suzie answered. Ashley rolled her eyes as her two chums blushed, picturing skimpy dancers. Then she blushed too. The trio finished and Ashley footed the bill. She was happy to do it. Even though Siegfried offered. Ashley did promise after all. They parted ways and decided to take it easy the rest of the day. As they were heading out, They overhead Mr. Ratigan talking with some other regulars about the road ceremony. Must have been in the paper, Ashley thought. Cleyra would be the hot topic for a while, she figured.
"Almost tempted to pry myself away and see this President, myself. This whole event is sure to be a real thriller!" Ashley heard him say. "This will be cool." She thought to herself.
That evening, Ashley was reading a book in her room. She heard a knock on the door. Ashley answered and was greeted by a polite, young courier. He didn't have a letter or a package. Just a message.
"Private First Class Iron Tail? I have a message from Lady Freya Iron Tail." The messenger boy cleared his throat.
"Arrive at meeting point with the others chosen to attend. We will pick you up. Looking forward to seeing you! I love you, sweetie. Colon. Right parenthesis." The boy smirked at this and Ashley's eyes drooped in annoyance. She thanked the kid and threw him a couple gil. Despite some teenage annoyance at being doted on, as well as the special treatment she sometimes gets from her legendary parents. Ashley was looking forward to seeing her mother and father. Ashley and Suzie turned in early that night.
Ashley and Suzie left early with a spring in her step. They met up with the other soldiers waiting to for the carriage to arrive. Siegfried was halfway through a cigarette. He greeted them, warmly. They didn't get a huge chance to converse, though. A single chocobo carriage had taken everyone's attention. Ashley took this as her cue to gracefully bid her comrades farewell.
"Wellgottagobye!" She blurted out and speed walked to the carriage. Two burmecians in their twilight years stepped out. Iron Tail Freya and Iron Tail Fratley. A little long in the tooth, but still radiating strength and dignity. There was no question that these two were the strongest in burmecia. Although plenty of meals with fellow soldiers boiled down to nerd debates of which one of the two was stronger. Freya was wearing a refined crimson dress with gold and silver lining. Fratley was wearing a modern brown silk suit and bow tie with gold buttons, as well as a few military medals. Despite otherwise looking their Sunday best, the heroic couple still wore their iconic hats. "Those goddamn stupid hats." Ashley thought to herself. The hats were part of each knight's ensemble back in the day. Freya's, a pointy red hat with a huge brim in the shape of a dragon's maw. complete with holes for the eyes or the nose, and two stylized silver ears or wings sticking upwards from the sky. Fratley's hat wasn't quite as bad. Just a wide brimmed, brown akubra with holes for his actual ears. It would actually be really cool if it didn't have that giant... tassel, or whatever at the top. After all this time, they still wore them everywhere they went. As she walked away, Ashley overheard both Suzie and Siegfried mutter under their breaths.
"Damn, he's hot!"
"Damn, she's hot!"
Her brow furrowed for a split second. But then she smirked. As Ashley approached, Freya beamed. Technically a soldier in the burmecian army was to salute and greet a dragon knight with the proper reverence. The Iron Tails did away waved that away after the girl finished basic. Ashley hugged her parents.
"Dearest daughter!" Freya said with a quiet, reserved cheer. Fratley squeezed a little harder. Ashley ignored a few far off sniggers from the peanut gallery and nuzzled her family.
"Hello, mother. Father." She said, politely. Ashley loved her parents. And it wasn't that she was uncomfortable. But she was almost a completely different person when they are around. Ashley was as prim and proper as her parents. Almost. It made things very awkward when her folks and her buddies were with her at the same time. Something Siegfried and Suzie gave her no shortage of grief for. Even in front of the knightly duo. They didn't mind. They were just happy that she was, for the most part, an upstanding young woman with good friends. The Iron Tail clan entered the carriage and were on their way. They passed the larger carriage for the other soldiers not long after. Ashley tried to relax in the company of her parents. She hadn't seen them in months.
"Are you faring well in your training, Ashley? You are keeping up with your instructions?" Freya asked.
"Yes, Mother. My superiors seem pleased with my results. They all expect me to follow in your footsteps." Ashley responded.
"Is that what you desire, my child?" Freya asked. Ashley tried her best to respond honestly.
"I'm not sure, mother. that's a big choice to make with my life. I know I could do well as a knight, but Suzie's been talking about school. She's applied to the Royal university, and even some of the human schools!" Ashley said. Freya's eyes lit up at that.
"Scholarly pursuits? This is the first I've ever of this! There are so many careers you could pursue!" Freya said with genuine enthusiasm. Her daughter always seemed so aloof about her future.
"Well..." Ashley hesitated. Freya cocked an eyebrow. She grinned at the answer that she expected anyway.
"You have no idea, do you?" Freya chuckled.
"I've thought about it for some time, mother! Honest!" Ashley said.
"I believe you, sweetie. When you conscript period ends, You can come home and Fratley and I will help you as much as we can." Freya took her daughter's hand.
"Mother, please! I'll sort myself out! It's not right for me to burden you both with such trivialities!" Annie said. Freya's brow furrowed. She took a breath to respond, but before she could. Fratley stated his first words of the conversation.
"Heh-heh. Heh. Hahahahaha! Ahahahahaha!" Fratley laughed. Freya turned to her husband, incredulous.
"And what in blazes is so funny?" She barked at her husband.
"I'm sorry, dearest. I just love it when Ashley fakes talking like you whenever she sees you! It's adorable!" Ashley blushed. She expected this sort of thing from her friends. But for her father to expose her like that. Freya made a fist and bopped him one with the side of her palm.
"Ow! Come now. It brings me joy that the kids are starting to speak differently. Our country has a vibrant youth again! Besides-" He said and rested his cheek on his fist. Grinning.
"I've seen you and your comrades chumming it up around town. "Hey, Suzie. Howzit goin' girl? How's life treatin' ya?"" Fratley quickly sat up straight and placed his hands on his lap. ""Hail, mother! What tidings doth thou bringeth of home? Is Father still passing out drunk by the maypole?"" Fratley ribbed his daughter, who was hiding her beet-red face with her hands.
"Forgive me, honey. I have several months of fatherly humor to catch on." Fratley said with loving maliciousness. The Burmecian hero made no effort to hide his shit-eating grin. The Iron Tail ladies groaned.
"Besides. When are you going to bring that "Green" boy home? You two would look so cute together." Fratley knew exactly what he was doing. Ashley gave him just the heart-stoppingly cute glare that he wanted. Brow furrowed. Lips pursed and nose scrunched. So much blood flowing through her cheeks, that he worried for her feet. He crossed a line. He didn't care.
"Daddy! Sergeant Green is my friend. I have no interest in him like that!" Fratley's face became stern. He paused for a few seconds. Fratley inhaled. This was important. One. Two. Three. Fratley spoke.
"So when are you bringing that "Bandit" girl home? You two would look s- OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! No respect for comedic timing!"Two blushing faces and four fists of fury rained down on the rat man. The fresh young soldier and the legendary dragoon pulled their punches. A little. It was worth it.
The carriage arrived at the edge of burmecia. A gate at the east of Burmecia led to nowhere for generations. Now it was the mouth of a massive expanse of roads. Two giant asphalt roads. Wide and and sturdy divided the expansive wild of the mist continent. The elevated roads rose with the mountains that divided the nations in the past. Each one had designated lanes for what appeared to be chocobo carriages. Like the architects expected ninety percent of the travelers to take expensive chocobo travel. There were separate walkways on the side for pedestrians with hip-high barriers dividing the wide lanes and the foot paths. Awful lot of seperation between the two. Any chocobo with the most basic of husbandry knows to avoid people on the side of the road. Sentries were posted a few hundred yards away, they kept the rabble away as the big wigs got things set up. The public would be allowed closer once the ceremony bagan proper. If it wasn't for Cleyra, Almost no one in Burmecia would give a shit, except a few curious to see the human royalty. As it stood, a crowd was already forming. The sentries allowed the carriage to pass. the ceremony itself was being held right at the wide mouth of the road. right before the road begins to rise and separate. Ashley tried to make out who was who from a distance. It was tough even up close sometimes. "Humans all look the same." Ashley thought. She saw more faces that she recognised as they approached. Nearby a makeshift stage at the far end of the area was a table that was just a little bit fancier than the rest of them.
At the table sat the ruling elite of the Mist Continent. Seemed kind of quaint, all things considered. Ashley let her parents take the lead. As they closed the final few yards to the table, Ashley tried to take roll. The King and Queen of Alexandria, Garnet and Zidane. Garnet sat making pleasantries. Ashley used to watch her deal with all sorts of people, and the burmecian could never tell if she was feigning her warm disposition with whoever it was until said individual had left and she started talking about them behind their backs. Despite this, Garnet was a respected figure among the burmecian populous. She had mustered as much aid and supplies as she could and bestowed such things to the near-annihilated nezumi, responding with a "fuck you." to any protest from nobility and military. It still wasn't much, but the war reparations from from their attackers was more help than Burmecia ever got from her supposed ally, Lindblum. Next to her was Zidane, king-consort of Alexandria. The small, tailed man looked bored. He'd been dragged to these types of things for longer than she had been alive. But he always seemed like he'd have rather been at a pub in Lindblum or somewhere. Zidane looked over to see the Iron Tails and his eyes lit up. Zidane dipped below the table and emerged from underneath it. His arms outstretched and wearing a grin, ear to ear. As her parents and the king of Alexandria caught up, Ashley scoped the rest of the vip-vip table. Next to Zidane's now empty chair was Puck, the king of Burmecia. Even ignoring his regal clothing and gigantic, silly crown. Puck could never blend in with his own people. Somewhere along the line, someone in the dynasty had fallen for a commoner with a strange mutation. Milk chocolate fur instead of the species' usual stone grey. Every few generations, a prince or princess would be born with the coloration. Puck was one of them. in the last few years of the 1700's there were supposedly a good dozen of those peculiarities. But, you know. Genocide.
Puck was chatting to a human woman who Ash had guessed was around his age, maybe a bit younger. Upon closer inspection, Ashley recognised her as another one of her mother's old companions. Eiko Carol, the horn should have given it away. Eiko was the heir to Lindblum, although her adoptive parents showed no signs of slowing down. Ashley always wondered how come the regents never had any kids of their own. Either the mister was shooting blanks or the missus was barren, she guessed. The elder Fabools were talking to a governor from Treno. Ashley looked around to see if there were any more figures that stood out in her head. She figured that the bigger military leaders would have "more important" things to do, but she was disappointed that Aldebert, the old knight captain of Alexandria didn't appear to be around. She was only a friendly acquaintance with all of these people. But her mother's disposition was always just a bit more cheerful, the more whole the "old gang" became. Ashley didn't see the royal chef or that creepy hobo either. But she'd have been more surprised to see either of those two. Ashley was pulled from her thoughts, literally as she was grabbed by the shoulder. Her gaze was met with Zidane looking up at her. Their faces mere inches from one another. Zidane had a son older than she was and that thin mustache and tiny, blonde soul patch was all the facial hair he could ever pull off. He hadn't seen her in four or five years. And now she was taller than him.
"Um." Ashley uttered. Before she could greet him properly. Zidane grinned maliciously.
"What is this? You don't see me for a few measly years and you have the nerve to grow taller?! This is an outrage! As a visiting dignitary, I demand that you kneel before me and allow me to scruffle you hair like I always did!" Zidane said in playful impudence. Ashley had forgotten about that. Bastard. Ashley grinned defiantly.
"Yeah, no." She said. Zidane's toothy smile grew wider at that.
"A challenge eh?" The tiny monarch lept for the uniformed soldier. Ashley backpedaled out of his reach, just in time. She knew he would never try to hurt her. He was no stranger to rough housing with the kids of the castle in past, her included. Zidane made another leap and Ashley again narrowly avoided it. She could have told him to stop, but hell, the rest of this was going to be a bit of a drag. What's the harm in a little fun? Not every day you get to test your reflexes against a great hero. Zidane changed his approach. He dashed to the right and and leapt for her. Ashley dodged but right at the last second, Zidane rolled and his tail grabbed her ankle and she stumbled while the runt shifted his weight and managed to grab hold of her.
"Ha ha!" Zidane managed to wrap his arms and legs around her torso. Binding both of her arms to the side of her body. Zidane then ruffled Ashley's hair in victory. He alway liked to keep his and his friends kids on their toes in the past. And he wasn't going to let trivialities like "being an adult" or "having a foot of height on him" stop him any time soon. Ashley struggled to break free. She wasn't ready to yield just yet.
"AAH-HEEM!" The wrestling pair heard a loud, attention getting throat-clearing in stereo. They both turned around to see Freya and Garnet staring at the two with their hands on their hips. Zidane immediately got off of Ashley and they both stood up straight. Faces beet red, smiling. Thankfully, no one else was really paying attention to them. Zidane getting bored and messing with soldiers or the help was old news. The soldier and the king still weren't getting off that easily. And the two instantly found themselves sitting in adjacent chairs. Having their hair fixed by their respective matriarchs. It was telling of the nineteen year old and the forty-two year old that their respective mother and wife had to each keep a hairbrush for this exact reason.
"Really, Zidane. You promised to behave in front of the Cleyrans." Garnet scolded her husband. Zidane responded to her.
"But they're not even here yet! ... I mean. Are they? It's kinda hard to tell because yo- owowowowowowowow!" The queen of Alexandria grabbed a hold of a lock of Zidane's blonde hair and gave it a good yank before he could finish that sentence. Her teeth clenched briefly and her eye twitched.
"No! I do not believe I see any nezumi face that I do not recognise, Zidane. And it's almost time for the opening ceremony to begin." Garnet said. Freya, satisfied with her daughter's appearance for the moment, took out a pocket watch.
"Just three minutes to noon. The public is starting to file into the bleachers to watch the ceremony. Ashley was curious as well.
"Cleyra is relatively close to Burmecia. Still, It's a long journey on ground. Even with the new road system. Could they have made the journey on foot?" Ashley asked aloud. Garnet's eyes narrowed.
"I sincerely doubt that." As if on cue. A humming noise filled the air. Many in the crowd as well as the vips looked around trying to find the source. Ashley was one of them. "An airship?" She thought. Any airship that was audible, should be visible too.
"There!" a nearby Alexandrian noble explained. He was pointing upwards towards the western mountains. Ashley squinted. There was something approaching from the air. From the direction of Cleyra. She only had the far-off mountains as reference. But something was off. It seemed ... small for an airship. At least a post-mist one. Ashley made the obvious guess that the giant rotor at the top was the source of the noise. The same noble crossed his arms.
"Look at that! Some prick from Lindblum decided to take his shiny new ride and take a peek at the Cleyrans from the air. Of all the nerve!" The strange airship drew closer and the noise intensified. It was rather rude of this person to steal the Cleyrans' thunder like this. Many others in attendance continued to pay attention to the road or the ground. Waiting for the fourth nation's representatives. Ignoring the showboat in the air. Ashley did the same until she noticed something. She was the only one at her table that was scoping the ground for the Cleyrans. The leaders of Alexandria, Burmecia, and Lindblum, as well as her parents, all had their eyes fixed on the airborne transport. About a minute later, the ship landed about thirty feet away from the podium and the vip seats. It landed so it's side faced towards the ensemble. The tiny, silver airship was merely a compartment the size of a large carriage, with a long thin section with smaller vertical rotors behind it and the aforementioned spinning top. The noises quickly dampened as the large top rotors slowed to a stop. And this unique airship had a distinct insignia painted on it's side. The white silhouette of a large, healthy tree.
The occupants left little time for speculation and the side opened, sliding over. A gauntleted hand had pushed the sliding door, while a bare nezumi hand held the other side of the opening. The body attached to those hand stepped forward to make itself visible. A nezumi woman revealed herself. She wore an elegant, streamlined purple dress that had a slit down the side. Although not close enough to see in too much detail, Ashley could see the shimmer of jewelry reflecting off of this stranger. An anklet on her left leg. A braclet on her right arm, the one without the heavy gauntlet. A choker around her neck, and two small earings. The gauntlet itself seemed rather out of place. But any burmecian understood it's reasoning. Many survivors would use different clothing and means to hide the scarring that they've received. A piece of plate armor was a new one to her. But she knew exactly what it was there for. This nezumi had taken a fire spell to the left arm. She was lucky that it hit an extremity. She likely passed out from the pain and and the black mage thought her dead. The nezumi woman scanned the crowd. Even from several yards away, Ashley could see the intensity in her eyes. A quick glance at the elders around her confirmed the obvious. The "prick from Lindblum" was none other than Adel Kildea, the president of Cleyra. The Cleyran woman stepped out of the airship too a moment to run her hand along her white hair. Brushing it to the side of her face. It was clear that this was a woman who knew a thing about first impressions. She held nothing back, and stood in a confident manner as she eyed her audience. A second figure emerged. This one more in line with what most were expecting of a Cleyran. An elderly nezumi in an ornate, clergy outfit. Complete with a large mitre. "What is it with my species and silly hats?" Ashley thought to herself. The Cleyran woman dropped her grandstanding visage to help the old man down. They then slowly made their way towards Ashley's table. As they did, more figures emerged from the ship. A stern-faced nezumi man with cropped hair, and a muscular (for the normally slender species) build stepped out next. His apparel was odd, but there was no mistaking what it was. He was decked out in matching pants and a top. The pants had large pockets and were met at the bottom with thick boots. Fully closed footwear was an oddity for most nezumi. Over his top was a vest of padded armor. This was a soldier. A Cleyran Soldier! Ashley had trouble wrapping her brain around that. Ever since the original pacifists left and founded their nation. The term "Cleyran soldier" became a euphemism for something that didn't exist. That term had just become an anachronism. Following his exit was three classic Cleyran maidens and three more soldiers, dressed similarly to the older Cleyran. They stepped out in an alternating order. The soldiers had weapons slung around their backs. Some kind of medium sized sword, from what she could see. But she couldn't see much. The woman and the old man were growing closer. The soldiers and the dancers followed behind the older soldier. Before first two completed the walk to the tables, Ashley eyed the airship to see if anyone else would step out. The first one wasn't of too much special interest. A nezumi man in another soldier outfit, minus the outer armor pads. Ashley supposed he was the pilot. She wondered if that was it, but the pilot looked as if he was talking to someone inside. One more figure emerged from the airship. And to Ashley's surprise, it was not a nezumi. A human man stepped onto the ground. Ashley instantly recognised him. As, she was sure did everyone else. A tall man with short, upright brown hair, with the sides shaved close. His chiseled, angular face scanned the crowd until his eyes rested on the table of royalty in the center. His mouth opened into a smile as he tilted his head back. He wasn't dressed like the Cleyrans, but wore a long, heavy black coat. Underneath it, he wore a vest of padded armor. And underneath that, a white t-shirt. He wore slightly baggy dark brown pants and even darker brown boots. The only metal armor that he had on where a pair of steel bracers on his forearms. A scabbard slung over his back held a large sword. He crossed his arms, and almost looked like he was going to approach them as well. But the pilot spoke to him and he leaned back against the side of the ship. The two lit up cigarettes and continued to chat.
"What did I tell you? Cleyra! He went to Cleyra! You owe me a bottle of brandy!" Eiko said as she nudged Puck's arm. A king and a future Regent had a bet going on about where someone disappeared to. That was the level of infamy this guy had achieved. He was a pariah among his own people. And probably the most divisive figure among her species as well. Friend of the nezumi. Deviant predator. Avenging hero. Deranged murderer. Everyone had an opinion. Ashley, herself had met him. But was too young to strike up a meaningful conversation. So she had little insider insight into what was true and what was urban myth. What she did know was common knowledge. While his moral fiber was hotly debated, his martial prowess was not. He had slowly built a name for himself carrying out missions to keep the peace on behalf of his Homeland of Alexandria. Nothing near the scale of the previous generation. But he and his buddies kept busy. It wasn't until a fateful day, five years ago, that he captured to public eye. As the stories of the Evil invaders with goals of extinction and the heroes that struggled against them started growing stale. The public latched on to the odd and tragic tale of a young, lovestruck knight who had taken by force the title of the fiercest fighter on the planet.
Jonathan Aldebert Steiner, the man who killed his own mother.