NOTE: This chapter is the beginning of Dr. Cid's journey to insanity. Here he is mentally stable - quite unlike his portrayal in the actual game.

This chapter might lead into another fanfic detailing Dr. Cid's adventure that leads him to Giruvegan.

CHAPTER 4: CIDOLFUS DEMEN BUNANSA

While Ffamran and Zeffir were dining at Ramando's Tavern, Dr. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa was busy in his laboratory.

We focus on the Draklor Laboratory. It is a very tall building - perhaps one of the tallest in Archades. It is seventy floors high. The Draklor Laboratory was built in the year 658, during the reign of Emperor Gramis' father, Emperor Alvor. The Draklor Laboratory had originally belonged to a scientist of the Klinian family. After the original head's death, it was sold to a man named Zabir Liuke. Dr. Liuke greatly expanded the laboratory, turning it into a center of airships. He also got sponsorship from the Archadian Imperial Army.

But now, Dr. Cid was the head of the Draklor Laboratory - ever since Dr. Liuke had died. He expanded the technology even more, making the top five floors places of great secrecy. Few visitors were welcome in the top five floors. By the time of this story, there was a tight security system in the whole building that kept intruders out. Also, Dr. Cid devoted much time to magickal research - particularly with the studies of magicite. As of late, Dr. Cid was manufacturing magicite and making great strides in its production.

Dr. Cid's office was on the 70th floor of the laboratory. It was a mysterious room where few were allowed in. Even Elise had rarely set foot in here when visiting her husband at work. After all, Dr. Cid needed a lot of secrecy when doing his work.

Dr. Cid was not alone in his research. He was assisted by scores of people. Dr. Cid himself was obviously at the top, being President of the Draklor Laboratory. Right below him were two powerful individuals (though less powerful than Dr. Cid). One of them was a woman by the name of Agrippina Furia Corella. The other was a man called Otho Serval.

Agrippina was the more powerful of the two Vice-Presidents. Though she was of ardent background, Agrippina had risen through the ranks and had even married a Judge by the name of Balbus. Agrippina excelled in science and had gained the respect of Dr. Cid, making her a vice-president at only thirty-four. Agrippina was more powerful due to her dominant behavior. She was capable and brave, but was also very ruthless and controlling. She refused to let anyone command her save Dr. Cid.

Otho, on the other hand, was the less powerful of the two. He was capable of commanding others and was quite helpful in his research. He had also been a Vice-President longer than Agrippina had. However, Otho was weak-willed, often uncertain, and more easygoing. Though he was supposed to be Agrippina's equal, Otho often found himself listening to her orders.

At this particular moment, we find Dr. Cid, Agrippina, and Otho in one of the smaller rooms on the 68th floor. Dr. Cid is near the southern wall. He is clad in a red coat over his clothes. Otho is next to him. He is a man of average height, aged about sixty, with a balding head and glasses. Agrippina was a tall woman of forty years of age. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a magenta coat. She was working on a map.

Dr. Cid was talking with Otho about the latest project. This project was to penetrate deep into the Feywood in the Jagd Difohr in search of magicite. Of course, Agrippina and Otho would take part in this expedition. They were planning to stay in the Feywood for forty days and forty nights, and then return to Archades. In addition to Dr. Cid and his Vice-Presidents, a group of nine carefully selected leading scientists would go on the journey.

"Master," said Otho, "this Feywood place sounds very dangerous. Are you sure that you want to go very far into it? After all, most of it is well nigh impossible to explore due to the high levels of Mist."

"We will find a way to get around the Mist," said Dr. Cid. "The main way is to be equipped with special magicite. Ice magicite could help due to the snowy terrain."

"And what about the viera?" asked Otho. "We will have to go through Golmore Jungle, and the viera live there. They are said to be quite unfond of intruders - especially humes."

"We my be able to bypass the viera altogether," said Dr. Cid. "Legend has it that deep in the Paramina Rift, there is a route to the Feywood. But few have made it through."

"That is true," said Otho. "The Feywood is not a place to be taken lightly. All sorts of primordial creatures live there - some deadly."

"That will not be a problem," said Dr. Cid. "There are weapons located deep in the laboratory. We will have access to them, but they should only be accessible to us. None of the lower-ranking scientists can get a hold of them."

Agrippina looked up from the paper that she was working on. She had devised a route from Archades to the Feywood.

"I have found a fast route, Master," she said. "We can take an airship to the north shore of Kerwon. There is an old port run by the Kiltias there. People use it to access the Holy Mountain. But nowhere further than that, as the land to the south is jagd. We will use the port to obtain access to the Paramina Rift. From there, we can go through whatever path you see as easiest. From there, we can access the Feywood."

"That sounds risky," said Otho.

"Be quiet, Otho," said Agrippina. "Anyway, Master, the route we should take should lead us to a deposit of magicite. I hope you will accept it."

Dr. Cid took the map from Agrippina and looked at it for a few minutes. He wanted to make sure there were no errors.

"I am impressed by your map," said Dr. Cid. "It will be useful in the expedition."

"Well, you should be," said Agrippina. "I am a skilled cartographer, after all. Do you think we will need copies?"

"Of course," said Dr. Cid. "We will need plenty of them. The Feywood is indeed a place that is easy to get lost in. Otho, take this down to the copying room on the 57th floor."

Otho was handed the paper.

"Okay, master," said Otho nervously.

Otho left the room and went down the elevator to the 57th floor. Normally, the command to bring something to the copying room would be given to those of lower rank. But this mission was secret, so Otho had to do it. He didn't need much prodding, though, for he took orders more easily from Dr. Cid than from Agrippina.

Bastard, Agrippina thought to herself when she saw Otho leave.

"Now that he's out of the way," she said to Dr. Cid, "there is something that we need to find out. What is the airship that we need to take?"

"We will be taking one of the larger airships that we have in the hangar," said Dr. Cid. "This one is powered by plenty of the finest skystone. It is large enough to fit all our belongings, but not so big as to take up a lot of space."

"Which one is that?" asked Agrippina.

"The airship Calypso," said Dr. Cid. "It is the best airship that we have. And one of the fastest!"

"Ahh," said Agrippina. "That is a pretty fine one."

"Just make sure that no one who is not going knows," said Dr. Cid.

Agrippina took back her paper. "To hear is to obey," she said.

Later, when it was nighttime, Dr. Cid closed the laboratory for the day and left work. He made his way back to the Bunansa residence. By then, Ffamran was home as well.

Dr. Cid opened the front door and walked in. He found Ffamran lying on the couch. Ffamran was almost asleep.

"Hello, Ffamran," said Dr. Cid.

"Oh," said Ffamran, rubbing his eyes to wake up a little, "it's you, Father. Hello!"

"I heard that it was your first day back," said Dr. Cid.

"My first day?" said Ffamran. "It went okay. Sometimes it could be pretty boring - as usual..."

"That's how school is," said Dr. Cid.

"How were things at the lab?" asked Ffamran.

"Fine," said Dr. Cid.

"How about that expedition?" asked Ffamran.

"I can't tell you all about it, Ffamran," said Dr. Cid. "I've told you twice already. I'll just say that preparations are going as planned."

"That's nice," said Ffamran. "I'm just curious to know."

"I understand," said Dr. Cid. "What did you do after school?"

"Since I didn't have any homework," said Ffamran, "I went to the Ramando Tavern with Zeffir. We had dinner there."

"Great," said Dr. Cid. "How is Zeffir doing?"

"He's doing good," said Ffamran. "Zeffir seems to really like school this year, and has made quite a few friends." Then, Ffamran yawned and stretched his fingers. "I am pretty tired from a long day of moving around. I'm going to bed." Ffamran got up from the couch.

"Okay," said Dr. Cid. "Good-night. Where's your mother?"

"Mother's upstairs," said Ffamran. "She is in her room."

Ffamran went to his room and got ready for bed. Dr. Cid walked upstairs in a little while to his and Elise's room He opened the door and saw Elise lying down on their bed.

"Hello, dear," said Dr. Cid. "I'm home. I was just talking to Ffamran. He just went to bed. As for everything at the laboratory, they went well."

"I see," said Elise. "I hope the expedition goes as planned."

"I hope so, too," said Dr. Cid.

"It's really late," said Elise. "And I know that you've been working hard. We need some time together - just you and me."

"That we do," said Dr. Cid.

I'll just leave it at that. Next chapter will have more action...