A.N: Here we go: the centerpiece of the episode. Shadow's reaction to Relm, and a much more alert Strago than we're given to see in the game. I've kept the original dialogue (based on the GBA version) where applicable, with some additions where necessary (such as Terra's explanation of their visit). I'm assuming Relm's mother died in childbirth, since there's no information on the subject. Also, based on Relm's dream in the game, she was old enough to be able to speak when Shadow left, so I made him stick around for four years before giving up.

Knives Out

"Good day, everyone," Strago greeted them, putting on a welcoming face, "what brings you folks to see me?"

But despite the conciliatory words, Shadow could see his washed-out blue gaze attentively lingering over each of them in turn. A cursory overview of Locke; nothing threatening in his appearance. A prolonged scrutiny of Terra, which was only natural. Her magical aura must have been the equivalent of bright sunlight to the old man. And, eventually, a wary glance in his direction, which probably did nothing to reassure him. Trying to look as casual as possible, he took a few steps back towards the door behind him. Shadow remembered that it led to the second floor.

(Protective instincts at work. He has no reason to trust us. I wouldn't either, if I were him.)

"I'm sorry...I...I let my guard down..."

"Dad, this is Clyde. I found him like this, wandering around the square. He needs our help."

"Leave me here. I'd only slow you down."

The voices were louder now, and starting to acquire a coherence of their own. The shadows that accompanied them were also shaping into ever more distinct images. His mind seemed to be groping around his aural surroundings, trying to latch onto something that would lead him out of the maze that was congregating around him.

Terra's voice. Her words breaking, shattering as they left her mouth, like a detuned music box.

"Good day to you, sir. We apologize for the disturbance, but we passed this town on our way, and we were wondering if you could give us some information."

And the look she directed at Strago was almost as inquisitive as the one he directed at her.

"Very well, child. I'm listening."

She tried to explain their situation as concisely as she could.

"Some Espers have escaped from their world. They've destroyed Vector, and have been seen flying in this direction. We're part of the Resistance, and we've managed to bargain for a truce with the Empire. It's crucial that we find a way to pacify them. Do you know where they could be?"

"Clyde, calm down. It was only a nightmare..."

And then the old man made a mistake.

"Espers, eh? Hmm…haven't heard that word in years…"

Locke immediately put a foot in the proverbial door.

"So you know about Espers?"

Strago's face was almost painful to see.

"Nope, can't say I do!" he blurted out hurriedly, "don't know a thing. Not one thing! Just a word I must've heard somewhere..."

His last words trailed off into a mutter, as if he were trying to recall a trifling detail. Shadow smirked quietly. Terra and Locke exchanged a puzzled glance.

"Something's fishy here..." he mumbled at her, as discreetly as possible.

At this point, the conversation inevitably flagged, removing Shadow's best hope of a distraction. The cacophony he was attempting to keep at bay rose up from the depths of his memory with redoubled intensity, the two dreaded voices stirring up a whirlpool of curses and pleas in his ears.

"And you're sure that you don't want to tell me what's bothering you?"

"We'll be famous, I tell you!"

"You know what? I don't care why you're here, but you are. Why not at least attempt to have a normal life?"

"I'm done for..."

"You don't…No, never mind, I don't want to know."

"You know what they'll do to me if they catch me alive! I don't want to have to go through that...

"Stay with me."

"Bloody coward...You're a murderer…whatever you do now. Can't you…at least try to…feel pity?"

There was something else too, insistently trying to break through this white noise. Something was missing, something he should know about, something he had been aware of just a moment or so earlier. Something...or someone...

It didn't take long for him to remember.

"Grandpa!"

The chirpy little voice burrowed into his brain, and almost immediately, his memory supplied a soul-shattering shriek to go with it. That scream, coming through a closed door. It had frozen him to the marrow of his bones. Any other sound paled by comparison. Even the cries of the baby that followed immediately after it.

Strago had to step away from the door he was guarding. A patter of small feet was heard scurrying down some stairs, and only a moment later, a little girl came bounding out. A skinny child, with thin features and immense blue eyes. Her face was framed by a wild mass of strawberry blonde curls, with a little motley beret precariously balanced on top of it. The rest of her blurred away into the multicoloured haze of her clothing. But the face stood out. The face cut into his retina.

(She looks…so much like her mother. I had forgotten...)

The little girl had obviously decided to come see what the commotion was for herself. She proceeded to gawk at each of them in turn, an earnest, candid ogle that he couldn't quite confront. He averted his eyes.

"Relm!"

Strago looked intensely worried, but the child stoutly ignored his concern.

(Relm…He would pester me to find her a name. For a whole week, he nagged and nagged. It was probably his way of coping with loss. He never did take to me, in any case. Probably the only one who wasn't fooled. He knew I couldn't. And yet he asked. He said "give your daughter a name, the child needs a name"…

Child…Daughter…My daughter…It sounds so odd…As if it never could've happened to me. And yet it did. For four years. And I knew it didn't make sense. Wrong person. I couldn't…)

"Just try…"

"...murderer..."

He could almost have winced under her stare. She was so alien to everything he felt and knew: a small, unruly, disrespectful being taking unwitting revenge on him for briskly walking off into the morning mist that day, followed by the insistent barks of a small pinscher puppy.

The little girl's curiosity seemed very much piqued, especially by the fact that he obstinately kept his eyes nailed to the threadbare carpet on the floor. But he knew that Strago had painstakingly inculcated her with rudiments of prudence; he had started as soon as she was able to understand. And some of it had obviously managed to stick. Rather than addressing him directly, she bounded over to the old man and tugged insistently at his cloak.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, little missy?"

"Grandpa, who are they? Are they friends? Can they use magic too?"

Strago's face underwent another painful transformation. She had just slammed into his ramshackle little lie and sent it flying in all directions.

"Sh-shush! That's..." he attempted, but the child's flighty attention took another cavort.

"Oooo! What a cute doggie!"

She scurried towards Interceptor, motioning excitedly to the large animal to come closer.

"Back off. He bites."

He wasn't sure that he'd intended to sound so brusque. Or that he'd planned to take a step closer. But he was only trying to forestall the inevitable. He knew the dog wouldn't bite. It wasn't planning on even snarling at the child, happily letting her pet it instead. And now the game was up.

Strago's pallid eyes immediately latched onto him and turned cold. He had recognized his voice.

"Relm, go back to your room," he said, and there was a menacing note in his words.

The child disapproved of this.

"Why do I have to go to my room? You never let me have any fun!" and her voice rose to an unpleasant pitch.

But the old man stood his ground.

"Because I said so. Now shoo!"

For a moment, she looked intensely upset. But then a glint came to her eye.

"Fine," she retorted smugly.

She made for the stairs, but gestured to Interceptor in the process.

The dog followed. This much, Shadow didn't expect. Something sank in his chest; it felt like a desertion. It didn't help that Strago chose to comment on it, striking where it hurt with pinpoint precision.

"Oh dear...She seems to have taken a liking to your dog."

And despite the anodyne remark, there was a malicious streak in his voice.

The little girl slammed the door shut with a triumphant "hmph!". Immediately relieved of attention on that particular event, Strago resumed his icy glare.

"That child..." he began.

His tone was nondescript enough that almost anything could have followed. Shadow felt his hands go numb.

(He wouldn't...)

"Touch my arm. Feel it shaking? I've never been afraid in my life, and now I'm quivering like a little girl."

But the old man forbore. Out of a sense of natural dignity, perhaps. Some kind of magnanimity for his victim.

"My apologies," came in a tone which clearly signified that he had nothing to apologize for.

As opposed to others.

Shadow had no choice but to play along, part of him basely grateful that a confrontation had been avoided.

"It's fine. He usually doesn't like other people though."

He vaguely registered that the additional remark was a mistake. Instead of glossing over the incident, he was making it even more suspect. But the hubbub inside his head was starting to skew his perceptions.

"I trusted you…"

"Clyde, I wish you and dad would get along. I know he can be a stubborn old fool, but you have to try…for my sake."

(For your sake…You stopped believing your own words the instant they left your mouth. You were just another shadow in my life. One that keeps haunting me now, but still a shadow. Perhaps I would have cared and I would have tried, under different circumstances, but…)

He suddenly noticed Locke and Terra, standing by in helpless bewilderment. Some part of him managed to register the situation as mildly amusing.

(You two really had no idea of what you were getting yourself into when you opened that door…

Look at this. Even the dog can relate to her better than I can. What kind of father am I supposed to be after this? No, this is not my role. I've blundered into it, and it's my fault. That much I admit, and I'm willing to do penance for it, but…I can't set anything right.)

Strago seemed to be of the same opinion, as he decided to cut the torture short. He addressed Locke and Terra, all the while still boring holes in him with his eyes.

"Clyde, please…look at me…"

"Anyhow...I'm terribly sorry, but I really don't think I can be of any help to you, folks."

"I, uh...I see," Locke stammered out, nonplussed.

"We're just your ordinary, quiet little village..." the old man continued, in a would-be light-hearted tone, "you're not going to find anyone who knows about any of those Esper things here, I'm afraid! Not in Thamasa!"

He took a few steps forward, as he spoke, as if to urge them out the door. Shadow noticed Locke slipping a whisper to Terra as they made for the exit. She nodded in return. Probably something to the effect of having a look around the place anyway. Strago's words couldn't have anything but their opposite effect: anyone who had proper use of their eyes would be able see that he was lying through his teeth.

"Thanks for your time!"

Locke took his leave with an innocuous smile, and a glance back at Shadow. The lies on their own were nothing compared to Strago's glares. He knew they would ask themselves questions. But he was not about to divulge any information.

"Interceptor!" he called, hanging back a few steps behind.

There was a bustle above their heads. Footsteps descended the stairs, and the door opened. Interceptor seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually complied. And Shadow had the distinct, foolish impression that he was being judged by his own dog.

The child appeared from behind the door in a halo of curls to wave goodbye to her ephemeral playmate, before promptly making her way back upstairs. She didn't have a single parting glance for him. Understandably enough. After all, he was little more than a black patch in her field of vision. A bitter, unseen smirk crept onto his face.

"The Shadow Bandits, great train robbers of the century!"

He turned to leave, still feeling Strago's eyes at his back. The others were already outside, and out of earshot. The old man spoke:

"I told the child her father had died. Goddesses help me, it would have been better if you had!"

He flung the words out, aiming to stab. Shadow silently let them dig into him. Then he walked out.