Author's Note- It's a miracle; I found some extra time to work on this chapter and was able to upload this much sooner than I had expected. Hopefully I'll be able to find time to write the next chapter soon. And since I forgot to post a disclaimer...

Disclaimer- I do not own Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or any related characters, places, objects, etc., nor do I make any money from writing this. The original characters that do appear are of my own creation, however.

To the Skies

Chapter 2- A Thorn in My Side

By the time Miles was walking out of the park, high noon was approaching. The sun shined more and more as the few clouds from the morning seemed to disappear from sight. The moogle could feel himself getting a bit hotter as beads of sweat formed on his furry little head, but he paid no attention to it. He was dressed lightly and ready for the heat that always came with summer.

Having more than enough time to kill, Miles decided to head for the Golden Gil, another popular locale in Baguba Port. Open all day and night, this place was perfect for hearing interesting stories, news, and rumors from travelers and residents alike. It was a large, but comely building stuck in the middle of two large shopping centers. The outside looked like plain with an exterior of several beige stone blocks, but on the inside, visitors were treated to a furnished area with wooden tables and seats for clan members to use. The pub distinguished itself from the nearby buildings by hanging a large, ornate sign in the shape of a coin.

Miles entered the building with hopes of meeting a familiar face, though he knew inside that the Golden Gil was not often used as a regular hangout for teenagers. Instead, it was mostly for the members of clans and airship crews. Inside, he saw a large room with a variety of people talking about anything and everything. From the entrance, he could hear little snippets of conversations from different people in the room.

"There I was, alone with the horde of Icedrakes, when all of a sudden…"

"I fear that the price of chocobo feed will be getting higher than it already is…"

"So this judge walks into a pub…"

"Kupo? Miles, is that you?"

Miles looked at a nearby table and saw a young moogle waving at him. Unlike the majority of moogles, this one had dark brown fur and wore a teal green outfit and hat. He looked to be a few years younger than Miles, but he was known as one of the most potentially gifted machinists Baguba has ever had.

"Hey, Nono!" Miles waved back and greeted him, "How are you, kupo?"

The young engineer responded, "Kupo, I'm fine, thanks."

As Miles sat himself down by Nono, he asked, "So, kupo, what have you been up to lately?"

"Nothing much," the young engineer replied. "I've been making myself a few little gadgets, kupo, but nothing big."

Miles listened attentively, always interested in hearing about Nono's creative hobbies. "Gadgets, huh? Sounds kupo."

Nono nodded and explained, "It helps to pass the time while my brother is away. Ever since he joined a clan, kupo, he hasn't been able to visit often."

A light bulb went on in Miles' head. "Speaking of clans…"

"Kupo?"

"I'm making a clan myself and I'm looking for others to join me," Miles told him, putting on a salesman's smile. "How about it, kupo?"

Nono quickly shook his head. "Oh, no thanks, kupo. I really don't want to get involved with fighting or anything like that, kupo."

"That's a shame," Miles began, "Being in a clan doesn't only involve fighting, right, kupo?"

"Kupo, you'd be surprised." Nono took a sip from a glass of water he had on the table before continuing. "Montblanc keeps telling me about all the fighting he has done since he went into a clan. Kupo, he's always fighting one battle or another."

"Well, Montblanc's a smart moogle," Miles reassured him. "He can handle himself just fine, kupo."

"Thanks, Miles." Nono took another sip from his glass before changing the subject. "So, kupo, how is your parents' airship turning out?"

"I wouldn't know, kupo," Miles explained, "since they won't even show me."

"Oh, I remember their rule, kupo. "'Crew members only,' right?"

"Yeah." Miles shrugged. "Hey, kupo, you built your own airship, right?"

Nono shifted slightly in his seat. "W-what about it?"

"Do you think you can show me, kupo?"

The machinist looked down at his glass unhappily. "Sorry, kupo, no can do."

"Kupo, that's too bad. What happened to it?"

"It was stolen."

Miles' eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously? Kupo, that's horrible! I wish I could help."

Nono drank the last of his water and sighed. "It's alright, kupo. Montblanc said that he and Clan Nutsy will try to get it back."

"Kupo, that's good to hear." Miles remembered how proud Nono was when he had announced that he was putting the finishing touches on his airship. The little moogle's prideful voice echoed through Miles' mind. The thought of losing something that was worked so hard for simply disheartened Miles, to say the least.

"I'm sorry, Nono, but I have to go home now, kupo," Miles lied. I better leave him alone. He doesn't seem to want to talk about it.

"It was nice seeing you again, Miles." Nono extended his small, dark hand. "Hopefully, kupo, next time we can meet at a happier time."

"Will do, kupo." Miles reached out and grabbed Nono's hand firmly. He shook it and said, "Will do."

Once out of the pub, Miles decide to honor his words and head home. Inconvenient for Miles, his home happened to be on the opposite side of the city, so Miles began immediately to walk back towards his neighborhood.

Miles now noticed more activity in Baguba Port than when he first woke up. Wandering traders had already set up their wares in high tents, and restaurants had employees giving out samples of delectable foods out by the streets. Kids were running around, playing tag, and simply enjoying what summer had to offer. The horns of ships could be heard blaring from the town's docks, and the occasional airship could be seen flying through the skies above.

Miles cut through Baguba Park and followed his way back to his house. On the way, he passed a large brown house with a sign posted at the front that read Althorn & Co.: Machinists. Realizing what he was passing, Miles started to run in a hurry, hoping that she wouldn't see him.

He wasn't fast enough.

"Is that you, Miles?" A young female moogle's voice called from behind him.

Miles did not even have to turn around and look. "Leila."

"Kupo, I'm so sorry to hear that your parents are losing money as machinists." Leila took full advantage of this unexpected meeting to mock and deride him.

"My parents are NOT losing money, kupo," Miles stated fiercely, trying to keep his temper controlled as he turned around to face Leila. She was a white skinned moogle who wore a dark green vest over a brown shirt and brown pants. The front of the vest bore a symbol resembling that on Alice and Willy's jackets; it was a fancy light green "A" inside a circle of the same color.

"Oh, sure," Leila spat, smiling wickedly, "and I suppose that that airship of yours is going to bring your whole family from the brink of bankruptcy, kupo?"

"You have it all wrong," Miles stated, trying to avoid a needless confrontation. "My parents are working their hardest, kupo, that's for sure. But they are always hard workers, kupo, no matter how much money we have."

Leila laughed scornfully, shaking her head in disbelief to Miles' words. "Strong words, kupo. But if your dad builds another failure of an airship-"

"DO NOT," Miles roared, losing his positive demeanor completely, "call my dad a failure."

"Please, kupo," Leila began, her enjoyment evident in her voice, "if your dad does to this airship what he did to the last one-"

"STOP IT!" Miles screamed.

But Leila's job was done. She simply smiled and brushed back some of the fur on her head. "Remember, Miles, my family's offer still stands." Holding her head in triumph, Leila entered her house and closed the door.

Miles simply continued walking. He simply walked with his head down as his mind wrapped itself in thoughts. We're doing just fine, he told himself. Leila's wrong. The family business is going just fine. And the airship will be even better! I can't wait to fly over her house and prove it to her face.


"So, kupo, how was your day, Miles?"

The young moogle picked up his piece of chicken and ate it silently. He was looking down at his plate throughout the meal, still thinking about Leila's words.

"Fine, kupo," he lied. Miles looked to the side of the table and saw Willy, sitting quietly and chewing inertly at his food. Like Miles, Willy also looked deep in thought, but the beads of sweat on his head were a giveaway that he was thinking about the airship.

"Mom, dad, can I ask you something, kupo?" Miles asked innocently. Both parents looked at their son, waiting for his question. "I just wanted to know, kupo, if my friends and I could start our own clan."

Alice blinked, surprised by her son's desires to become a clan member, but Willy remained impassive.

"Kupo, but Miles, you don't really want to join a clan, do you?" Alice had a sincere tone of concern in her voice. "It's a lot of fighting, kupo, and it's a lot of traveling also."

"I know," Miles replied, "but it's just for the summer anyway, kupo."

"What I want to know is," Willy began, "why do you want to be in a clan?"

"Er…" Miles thought for a moment before giving his answer. "Kupo, I figured it would be just like summer camp, only more fun."

Alice sighed, still uneasy about the thought of her son fighting in the clan wars. "Kupo, I don't know…"

"Let him."

"What?" Miles and Alice asked simultaneously.

Willy coughed and wiped his forehead. "Miles is smart. He'll know which missions are right for him and which ones are not. I trust his judgment."

"B-but," Alice started to ask, "what about-"

"Also," Willy interrupted, "did you not say that you joined a clan while in high school?"

Defeated, Alice submitted to her son's wishes. "Okay, Miles, you can join a clan. But, kupo, please be careful."

"Of course," Miles promised. As he finished his lunch, he explained, "I won't even make my clan yet, kupo. I still need three more members." He left the kitchen and walked to the front door.

"I'm going to go to Yuwain's house, kupo." Miles waved to his parents as he walked out.

"Come back for dinner, kupo!" Alice shouted, but Miles had already left.

Willy finished his meal silently and got up, ready to resume work, when he was halted by his wife's words.

"Kupo, do you really think it's a good idea for him to join a clan?"

Willy nodded. "I told you already, I trust his judgment. Besides, it might keep him from worrying about us."

"What do you mean, kupo?"

"I am sure that Miles has noticed how we are constantly losing customers nowadays, no thanks to Althorn." Even when saying the name of his main business rival, Willy seemed rather emotionless. "I don't want him to worry about us, nor do I want to keep him from enjoying his summer."

"You make it sound like we're going broke, kupo!" Alice exclaimed in a lousy attempt to keep her voice down.

"Althorn is gaining more and more customers every day," Willy stated. "We are not in deep trouble yet, but I feel that we should be at least aware of what could happen."

Alice sighed, closed her eyes, and realized the truth of her husband's words. "Kupo, I suppose you're right."

Willy nodded silently, and left through the back door, leaving Alice with a cloud of thoughts and a plate of cold chicken.

I just hope Miles knows what he's getting into, Alice told herself while finishing the last of her chicken. Being in a clan is dangerous, and he better not do anything stupid. But I trust him, since he has never given me a reason to feel otherwise.