Chapter Two: The Search

Traveling from Mushroom Rock, Tidus found that the company that he kept was rather amusing. Elma seemed to be interested in everything Tidus had done in the past while Lucas kept on bitching about how the Youth League seemed to mess up his "valuable" clothes. When asked about these, so called, clothes. Lucas turned red and became quiet.

Tidus laughed. It felt good to him to be amongst these types of people. Soon, as they were getting closer to Djose, Tidus began asking Elma about this girl Bern.

"Well," she began, "I met her while on a patrol on the Highroad with Lucil. We found her parents being eaten by some fiends and found her hidden in the hallowed out stump of a tree. The poor thing was so shaken. Lucil wanted to drop her off at some settlement camp nearby, but I refused. I've been looking after her ever since. Nooj and the others finally came around."

Tidus nodded, feeling a little envious at the same time. Never having to support someone or have someone look up to him as Bern had for Elma.

"We're here." Lucas announced.

The Djose Temple was just as Tidus had remembered: cold and bleak. Numerous thundering could be heard from everywhere, however there were some changes that Tidus noticed. For one thing, the place was packed. Packed with Al Bhed, no doubt. Again, Tidus turned to Lucas for an explanation. Again, Lucas laughed.

"Well, the Machine Faction took over this place as their new Headquarters as it is no longer in use as a point for Summoners for their gaining Aeons for their pilgrimage. Right now, they hold the highest amount of artillery but they are completely neutral against those who wish to use their power for their own benefits."

Tidus whistled loudly in awe. "Wow."

Elma nodded. "Nooj used to be allies with the leader of the Machine Faction, Gippal. However, sometime along ago, their paths went separate ways and they rarely spoke to one another. However, since the peace agreement made awhile ago, Nooj has ordered the lot of us to try and find some way to reach an accord with the Machine Faction and gain their allegiance. So far it hasn't gotten us anywhere."

"Do you think this "Gippal" might know where Bern may be?" Tidus asked Elma.

Elma shrugged. "I don't know. If someone has done some 'under-the-counter-dealings' here, Gippal will surely know about it, though. He may have some information for us."

Tidus nodded and walked with the others to the entrance of the Djose Temple where a man, dressed in bright colors, sporting an eye-patch, was arguing with several people.

"Listen, I don't care what Cid has to say about this. I need those reports in, in due haste! Do you understand?" The men he was talking to mumbled something in Al Bhed and took off.

The man sighed. He then turned around and noticed Tidus and the others approaching him.

"Yes? Can I help you?" He asked. He then recognized Elma. "Ah, Nooj's group. Tell that friggin' impatient gimp to wait. I still don't have an answer for him yet."

Elma shook her head. "No, Gippal. I'm not here about that."

Gippal sighed and made a gesture for the three to follow him and he walked over to a small tent that had a small desk with three chairs surrounding it. Sitting in the chair behind the desk, he waited until all had settled before speaking again.

Only Elma sat while Tidus and Lucas stood.

"What can I do ya for?" He asked.

Elma took a deep breath and then began. "A girl I've been looking out for was taken from the Youth League Camp late last night. We have a feeling that her abductors and her may have passed through here. Have you seen them?"

Gippal thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Sorry, no. Then again, I've been too preoccupied with this peace settlement that I haven't been looking as to who's been passing through here or not."

Elma sighed, despairingly.

"Any chance someone around here may have?" Tidus asked.

Gippal studied Tidus before answering. "Doubtful. With Vegnagun destroyed we've all been busy at the Farplane dismantling the damn thing. I've been trying to keep everyone around here busy as I have been. Well, except for…"

"Except for, whom?" Lucas inquired.

Gippal gave a smug smile as he leaned back and stretched. "This may not be a bad idea since you all are searching for someone anyways. Hell, you may come across him looking for this girl."

Tidus shook his head, wearily. "Again, who?"

Gippal took out a beaker of sweet Al Bhed wine and poured himself a glass. "A cousin of mine whose been sent out on a reconnaissance mission has failed to report in. I sent him to look for some ancient Machina that may be able to be restored and put to further use in helping rebuilding Spira. So far, I haven't heard back from him since I sent him out to the Thunder Plains to check up on a generator. If by some chance you come across him, I think he could help you better than I can. He's been everywhere and he may have an idea as to who could have taken your girl. Sorry, but that's the best I can do, for right now."

Again, Elma sighed. She had really hoped that Gippal would have been of better help. "Thank you for your assistance. We'll see if we can find this cousin of yours. What's his or her's name?"

Gippal smiled, "His name is Marv. By the way, be careful when you meet him. I think you may actually be his type."

Elma turned a deep scarlet shade. "Excuse me?"

Gippal grinned. "I've warned ya."

"We better get going." Tidus said. Looking up and seeing the sun was coming down soon. Elma nodded and thanked Gippal once more before removing herself from the seat and began walking away with the others.

Gippal called out. "By the way, who might you be?"

Lucas turned. "Which one of us?"

Gippal pointed to Tidus. "You. The one with the scarred face."

Tidus thought for a moment, sighed, and answered. "I'm a former Guardian. Anything else?"

Gippal smiled and shook his head. "Nah, I got all the answers I need."

Tidus nodded. Totally unsure as to what Gippal had implied by that. He then continued on with the others down Djose's road. Up ahead he could faintly see the lightening scarred horizon that marked the beginning of the Thunder Plains.

Behind them, Gippal took another draught of his wine and then took out a portable comm-sphere and started pressing buttons on it.

Holding it up to his ear, he heard a voice.

This is Buddy of the Gullwings. Not here, leave a message.

Gippal smiled, "Hey Buddy. Gippal, speaking. Guess what, you owe me five hundred Gil. Better pay up, next time you're here." He then closed the Comm-Sphere and resumed finishing his wine.

Tidus, Lucas, and Elma resumed their trek across the Djose lands until they finally came upon the Thunder Plains. Tidus took a moment and basked in the memories he had of this area. His moment of nostalgia was interrupted when Lucas tapped his shoulder and pointed to an opening of land.

"That's where Lady Yuna held her concert."

Elma smiled, "You were there too?"

Lucas nodded. "Boy was it surprising. I actually thought there was going to be civil unrest with everyone there. So many people hated eachother at that time."

"Why did Yuna hold a concert for so many people who hated eachother?" Tidus asked.

"Well," Lucas began, "It's because she thought civil war was going to happen between the three factions: New Yevon, Youth League, and Machine Faction. She felt by holding a concert might break the oncoming tide that was probably going to come out due to the distrust and ill nature spread out."

Elma nodded, "Practically everyone there had his or her hands on their weapons, looking at everyone suspiciously. Then, Yuna's performance changed all of that. People were crying, hugging eachother; it was quite the spectacle."

Tidus shook his head in amazement. Although, for him, it wasn't too surprising that Yuna would be able to bring out the best in people. She just had that way about her.

"Tidus! Look!" Lucas shouted, pointing.

Tidus looked in the direction, in which Lucas was pointing and saw a group of both fiends and men surrounding a man, beating, clawing, and tearing at him.

"Let's go!" Tidus said. The three of them gallivanted down the slope of the terrain towards the mass. Soon, they were noticed and a battle began.

Tidus brought out his blade and begun sparring with a masked man who carried with himself a gun of some sorts. Tidus quickly brought his blade to his face to shield himself as his opponent began firing at him. As soon as the rounds were depleted, Tidus swung his blade in high arches, catching the man at his jaw and at his ear. Looking to his side, Tidus quickly looked to see how his comrades were doing.

Lucas was battling against several Lesser Drakes, all of who were pelting him with lightening blasts and clawing him at every turn possible. Tidus was about to get concerned but then he saw how Lucas began sidestepping the fiends and lashing out at them with brutal stabbings with his Katana. Elma was the one having least trouble of all. She was like the lightening on the Plains itself! Diving, dashing, slashing, somersaulting; she was unstoppable! All eight of her enemies quickly fell. In a few moments, Tidus too disposed of the two gun warriors that he'd been battling with.

After the fight, Tidus and Lucas knelt down to regain their breath while Elma walked over and undid the bindings on the person that the men and fiends were holding captive. As she undid the blindfold, a pair of striking green eyes looked at her and soon the gag was removed and the person was revealed to be a man of large build. His head bald and the only hair on him was a small patch underneath his bottom lip.

"Are you alright?" Elma asked.

Once the man's arms had been freed, he took Elma by the back of the neck and drew her in for an abrupt kiss.

Elma's eye's went wide and then into fury as she kneed the man in the gut and slammed her elbow into the back of his head.

"Freakin' Al Bhed!" She shouted.

The man rubbed the back of his head, grinning up at her. "Sorry, Luv'. I'm just soooo grateful."

Elma turned away, blushing at an incredible rate.

The man looked from her to the others.

"Who might you all be, then?"

"Well, I'm Tidus and this is Lucas. The one you lip-locked is Elma." Tidus said, grinning. Elma shot Tidus a dirty look.

"Are you Marv?" Lucas asked.

The man nodded, "Aye, tis I." He then got up and stretched and went over to a bundle of sacks that were on the ground. "Much obliged to y'all for rescuin' me, like that. Did Gippal sent you?"

Elma, regaining herself, sighed. "Yes, yes he did. We need your help finding…Wait, what are you doing?"

Marv was rummaging through the sacks of his late oppressors, whistling as he went. He soon looked up, having realized that he was asked a question.

"Oh, me? I'm just seeing what those bastards had. Care to take a peek as well?"

Elma scowled.

Marv shrugged and then continued on looking until he stopped. He pulled out a rolled piece of parchment and unrolled it.

"Well, I'll be…" He said, in wonderment.

"What? Tidus asked, bending down low to see what Marv had found.

Marv quickly rolled it back up and waived his finger at Tidus. "Uhn uhn."

Tidus scowled, "Oh, c'mon. We just saved your life!"

Marv smirked. "Well, that may be, but how can I trust you lot?"

Lucas sighed, "Look, we were sent here to find you to see if you knew of anybody who was kidnapping little girls, or if you've seen one whose been taken, lately."

Marv held a hand to his chin, rubbing it, thoughtfully. He then shook his head. "Nope. Can't say that I have, mate."

All three of them sighed out in exasperation.

Tidus shook his head, "Fine, well, best of luck to ya then. We need to keep going."

Elma and Lucas nodded and began gathering their things. Just as they were two feet away, Tidus saw from the corner of his eye that Marv was following right behind them. Tidus stopped and turned.

"What are you doing?"

Elma and Lucas did likewise and both shocked to see Marv, packed, and right behind them.

Marv smiled, "Ain't it obvious? I'm going with you lot, ain't I?"

"Excuse me?" Lucas asked, incredulously.

"Why?" Elma asked, in disbelief.

Marv shrugged, "I could be of some use. Besides, what do you think I'm going to do? Go back to that idiot Gippal? The fool has me doing chump work for crying out loud. Check the generators, Marv. They need your expertise. What a load of-"

"Alright! Fine! You can come! Just stop talking!" Tidus said, holding his hands to his ears.

Marv grinned, "You won't be sorry."

"So, where to from here?" Asked Lucas.

Elma sighed, "I guess the next best bet on where they've may have taken Bern is the Macalania Woods. Thieves and all kinds of vermin usually hide out there."

"That's be my guess. Who's Bern?" Marv asked.

All three groaned and proceeded forth as Lucas gave their new companion the rundown on what they were doing.

To be continued…

A/N: Well, I hope you all are liking it so far. And again, Tidus WILL see Yuna, but not for awhile. So you shippers just relax. And again, please read and review so I can know what I'm either doing right or wrong with this story. Thank you.

Q-n-P