Stalkerman

Disclaimer: I own nothing of this, except the plot.

By Moogle from Cyrodiil

On the floating continent in the town of Canaan, Arc stood watching. The red mage was behind a building peering into the plaza in front of it, where a girl in a red dress was dancing. His cheeks were red with blush as he peered and stared at the girl. His mouth was agape, and some drool came down the edges. He leaned against the wall and closed his mouth. He probably wouldn't even see her again once they finished there training here. Yes, they were probably all going to die in that stupid sea or in that evil Tower of Owen.

Arc, troubled by these sentiments, started to dream up instances where he and the dancer could be in, when he was interrupted by a loud-mouthed blue haired gentleman. "What are you doing over here, Arc?" asked Desch.

Arc drifted out of La-La Land and into reality with that remark. He quickly got up and said, "I-I was…going to the-the Enterprise from the inn, when…" Arc was a shy lad and he really wasn't in the mood to talk about his personal fantasies with a man who couldn't remember anything but his name. Plus, he needed to think of a way get out of being in trouble for missing practicing today.

Desch listened intently and then when Arc trailed off, he went to the corner of the building. The only thing of interest he could see was a beautifully formed and flat walkway that was being trampled upon by a strange looking, yet familiar, tap dancer and audience. He came back and said, "When you saw, heard, smelled, touched, and dare I sayit, tasted something? Hey aren't you late for practicing too…you were supposed to leave two hours ago? They'll think something happened to you, ya'know."

Arc smiled softly and looked down as he said, "Yeah, your right Desch. I saw this…dancer, and I watched her move so angelically…it made me forget that we were supposed to be training today. I forgot that we were supposed to go to Gyshal." He sighed then continued, "If I go to the boat now, they'll accuse me of making them late, and rightfully so," then his voice started to gain momentum with each word as he finished," but if something were to 'happen' to me and then they find me bruised and beaten, I won't be in as much trouble! Can you help me think of something?"

An evil smile came to Desch lips, for he had wanted to try this plan out for a while. He only needed confirmation on two things. He answered saying, "Only if you answer me two questions, Okay?"

Arc didn't like the look of the smile, but nodded, for he needed his help badly.

"Good, here are my questions: Are you falling in love with Refia and were you staring at that red head down yonder before?"

Arc's once softening blush came back with a vengeance. It took him a while, but he finally nodded slightly and said, "Yeah…maybe… Now, will you help me make a plan, or do you have something in mind." He looked up at Desch expectantly.

The formula was complete in Desch's mind now. He looked down at the boy and said, "You know how to 'hit on' women, right? No of course you don't you're like what…sixteen and purity incarnate. Don't worry I'll teach you all I know."

Arc gulped and then it began. Desch poured his knowledge of flirtation 101 into the little shy, studious boy's head.

Thirty minutes later…

Arc was pushed out of the corner and into the plaza. He gave an angry look back to Desch, and then headed onwards. He went in front of the girl and said, "Girl, you must be Jamaican, because ja making me crazy."

The girl laughed a little and said, "So, my stalker finally emerges from behind his wall to flirt with me? You know, I'm not that kind of dancer." She looked down at what she was wearing and added, "But I guess you could get impression."

Arc blushed again and said, "No, I could never think of you doing that kind of work…anyway, aren't you supposed to be dancing?" Crap. I messed it up big time, thought Arc. Then he saw her look a little bit past him and she nod to herself. He brushed it off, thinking she was just off balance or something.

She looked back at him and said, "Well, maybe this one time I can, I mean you are my one and only stalker-man." She took his hand and ran with him into the inn. She was giggling while Arc looked sick. He didn't know what was going to happen next.

He entered the inn, and then all hell broke loose. He couldn't tell left from right, nor up from down. All he knew was that something was touching him and he was swallowing something rancid.

One Hour Later, Outside the Inn

"This blows! We could be halfway to this place if he had come today!" lamented Refia.

"Yeah, I though you said you were the one prone to be late and that he was the studious one?" questioned Ignus.

"Well, yeah, that's how it used to be." answered Luneth as they entered the inn. He was going to pay for the beds with Ignus, as and Refia went to the beds to stake their claims. Suddenly, Refia shrieked loudly and repeatedly. The boys quickly finished paying for the beds and hastened over to see what all the fuss was about.

Refia was beside the bed holding a very bruised and disoriented head that belonged to none other than Arc. "What happened to you, Arc, are you okay?" She got on the bed with him and hugged him, and started crying. Who could do such a thing to her Arcy? He was so precious to her, plus mages should stick up for each other, the white mage reasoned.

Arc moaned softly and said, "Ugh, what happened?" He looked and noticed that Refia was fiercely hugging him, and underneath his bruises, he began to blush.

Refia just hugged him more tightly, and Luneth was the one to question him. Luneth said, "We want to know that same thing. You were right behind us when we went to the Enterprise, and you never showed up. We were worried sick!"

Arc opened his mouth to answer, when his blue haired friend interrupted, "He saved me. I foolishly went into the wilderness on my own and this monster came and attacked me. I…I thought that it was going to kill me, but when it started to dun my way, it was enveloped in fira spell. I saw that Arc was there battling it, so I ran to get help. When I came back, the monster was gone, but Arc was a mess. The resident white mage said he should be good to go tomorrow, if he gets his rest."

Arc silently mouthed a thank you to Desch, who covertly nodded. The Desch added, "Now let's leave those mages alone for a little while, Iggy, Loony, and go meet my exotic lady/dancer friend. We go way back…" He faded out as he escorted the boys out of the inn and into the perfectly smooth plaza.

Later that Night, at about Midnight

Desch sneaked out of the inn and into the plaza, he was holding a bag of something and it was making a slight chinging with every step. He whistled as softly as he could, which was still pretty loud. He waited less than a minute, but his envoy had been reached, for he heard dainty footfalls approaching. The feminine voice said, "Your late, my stalker slayer."

He looked at her, smiled and said, "I try, but it is hard to stalk a girl who I saved. So, how much do I owe you for my favor?"

She came closer and said, "It's on the house. Your favor to me was much greater. I value my life that much more because you saved it. I feel like this is a second life, a much better life. Thanks for saving me from that…monster."

Desch brushed it off and said, "Okay, if that's what you call it. I thought that I was protecting the town from to delusional monsters personally." He turned around to walk back to the inn, when she yelled out in a mock hurt tone, "Jerk!" She pelted on small stone from the ground to his back and then left, with a small smile on her face.

El Fin