Wow, I waited too long to get to this. Is this a sign of danger? I dunno. Maybe it has more to do with the fact that I'm trying to get used to playing on Baroque instruments than anything. I dunno, I'll be honest.

Anyhoos, last chapter we got introduced to Tenessey and Carlos. Carlos finds his brother soon enough, don't you worry (I mean, this is recruitment, how could we not?). As for Tenessey... Boy do I have plans for him! You'll see what I mean soon enough, so yeah.

But anyway, here's where we start to get the gloomiest one-shots in the collection. Granted, there is a great moment of epiphany in this one with one of the characters, but it comes after these incredibly gloomy, gloomy sections. Also, beware; this oneshot, and a few others with the character that's introduced here, start to use some very explicit language. Don't say I didn't warn you! The jagds are like that, what can I say?

And here's another sort of music prompt. It's going to be really odd writing two music prompts one after the other (you'll see what I mean soon enough), but I think that this oneshot corresponds with this one piece so damn well that I couldn't help myself. The piece is the second of Ravel's pieces in the virtuoso piano suite 'Gaspard de la Nuit'; Le Gibet. I'm not going to bother putting the symbols in for this oneshot, because really, the entire oneshot can relate to the piece. So here's a youtube link, and don't forget to take out the spaces! http ://www .youtube. com/ watch?v=K7NKYvnjJcs&feature=related

So without further ado let's meet our next character. In first person, of course!

Le Gibet

That damn chopping block is always there. I don't understand why it won't go away.

That alley has been the sight of many a bad memory. So why the fuck do I keep going back to it?

I dunno. I've seen too many people get killed by the executioner with a sword there. It's just... I dunno how to say it.

Then again, it could be that this is where my entire life has thrived. I was found by the chopping block. I played by the chopping block. I grew up next to the chopping block. And, only once, I've killed with the chopping block. I guess the chopping block is the only real friend that I can see, even if it brings back things I don't want to talk about.

Somebody just died here. That's probably why I'm here. The clans around here are usually very careful to hide bodies. Not like it matters; nobody tames anything around here. From what I hear, there are judges that go around the rest of the world. Not here. I haven't seen one yet, and until I do I won't believe those people. But they never wipe away the blood that's around the block. I've always wondered why they forget about that. But then again, I don't think anyone would care much about a chopping block in the middle of an alleyway. At least it's away from too many eyes.

I've been looking at this pool of blood for too long. I know death all to well; hell, it's my best friend. They say I'd be more cheerful if I had found somewhere else to live. Me? I don't think that would've changed a thing. Death would still be hounding me, even if I went to the worlds of the 'judges' or whatever those hotshots are called beyond here. I've never seen one, so I won't believe anything those idiots think.

Many of those people that have died here deserved it. Many were stuck up, and too many didn't do what we told them to. Bad move, especially if they went to a place like this. They must come from outside of here. I still don't believe that any judge person could make it so they were stuck up at all. I'll only believe it when I see it by myself.

But there's something at the back of my mind. I don't know if it's a memory or a scrap of what's left of my sick imagination, I'll leave that up to whatever I see with my own eyes. This chopping block killed two people a very long time ago. It's incredibly fuzzy; the two people were really short. Kind of like most of the people I know if they got shrunk by magic. But somehow, I can't help but feel that those two were important to me somehow.

Ah, whatever. They're just another two people taken by an axe and a chopping block. Like that poor fellow that was just here... What was his name?

I don't really know, and I'll be honest, I don't really give a shit. Just as long as I'm not there, it's all fine by me...

We've got bells here, but if there are people ringing them I've yet to hear them actually do it. They must've fallen victim to this chopping block, too, I guess. I wouldn't be surprised if they didnt.

Me? I'm a little too small to lift that axe. That's the only reason I've only killed one person with it. Trust me, I wouldv'e killed more, as there are too many people that try to kill me. But I can't lift the axe. Only way I killed that one person with this chopping block was because the axe had tossed in the air. I'm sure that the guy would've died without my help if he hadn't shoved it, and since I think in reflexes I grabbed it. The force of the axe was enough to flip me over and literally decapitate him just by being in the air.

I dunno. I've just lived my whole life by this chopping block I guess. It's... I said this before, so fuck it, I'm not gonna say it again. This is one messed up place, I can tell you all that much.

And there are some people fighting again. I know I should be angry that these fuckers won't stop fighting, but by this point I've just said, 'you know what, fuck it'. I don't care anymore. In fact, the only reason I'll care is if they go towards this chopping block...

...Which this guy in white robes was apparently stupid enough to do.

Or wait, no, it can't be stupidity. He's wounded. Too many cuts to count. Probably had a run-in with somebody. I don't care anymore.

But... wow, looks like the chopping block is unnecessary. His wounds will kill him in time. I just need to sit here and...

Wait, why's he getting close to me? I'm backing up against the chopping block now, but he's holding his hand out to me.

"Would you... would you leave a fellow person... to die... in this wasteland? I, when I have... no business... to hurt... you...?"

To this, I don't get any chance to reply before he slumps to the ground.

He's just lost consciousness, nothing more. He'll be dead sooner than this, anyhows. Of course I would've left him to die; they would've come after me.

But there's still something about him. If he didn't have any 'business' with me or whatever, why'd he come close to the chopping block?

I moved to the end of the alley where it opened out on the road, and when I looked all around me I found that he had chosen this place because he had nowhere else to go. There's fighting all around me, and it's these rather well-dressed, well-kept people versus those familiar faces that I've come to know so well.

All of a sudden... I don't feel anger towards this strange man.

I feel... Is this what people would call 'pity'?

Nah, that can't be it. It's just for one person, and it's supposed to be a good motion. I don't do good motions.

But still, I should get this guy's wounds treated.

Heh. Who'd've thought? The place where death is the king of the Jagd is also the place where a life is saved. What a twist. It's almost like somebody's severed head came back and said 'amen' over this place.

Wait...

This guy's a lizard, he's got white robes...

No way. There's no way in hell this guy's a priest...

Ah, whatever. The sooner I get done with these wounds, the better. And then I can just wait for him to come to and it'll all be good.

And I'm done. Those scraps of cloth I stole from that asshat of a group leader in this place sure came in handy. I hope there's no bread in his system, though...

Eh. It's so hard to believe that this place of death is now... well, a place of life. I don't think I can put it any other way. It's like those people that think they can just trot in here and expect to make everything right. Because they don't. That's the truth, and there's no backing away from that.

So the priest at my feet finally saw it fit to come up from his 'sleep'. It only took him about... what, three hours? I don't know.

"... Where...?" he asked.

"If ya think I did it for something good, you're wrong," I stated flatly as he sat up. "You should get out of here while it's clear. The fighting cleared up a long time ago.

I think I saw something flash in his eyes as he abruptly stiffened. I don't know what it was. Fear? Excitement? I don't know anymore. You'd think I'd know fear by now, but the truth is I really don't. So many things can occur to you when you're under that axe; I've seen as many people cry in fear as I have people that looked with a wierd... heroic... glint in their eyes and as many that have sobbed in sadness. It's really... I don't know how to put it.

"Oh, no..." said the priest as he stood up. "My clan may have left me here... I've got to go find them."

He stood up slowly, walking towards the exit to the alley. I just stood there, minding my own business.

I think this was where I made a mistake, because he turned to me with a confused look in his eyes.

"You're not coming?" he asked.

I simply shrugged as I shifted around.

"Why the fuck would I do that?" I asked.

The lizard turned around, looking at me.

"Well, you sssaved my life, yesss?" he asked with a bow. Pah, politeness is for snobs.

"I only did it because you fucking drilled it into my head that I'm a bad person!" I replied. "So I saved your life. What the fuck happens then?" I pointed to that damn chopping block behind me. "You know how many shitheads died there? So many died that I can't remember anymore. Eventually you'll be stuck here too!"

The lizard rose one of his... uh... I can't really call them... whatever...

"But sssurely you would have left me to die sssooner if that was the cassse, right?"

"Forget it!" I retorted, turning around without looking at him. "You people think you're such hot shit, living away from this... this dump! Ya know what? I want you to stay here for one night and see if I don't kill you first!"

There. That ought shut him up and send him running away. I didn't like him anyway.

"And you think that jussst becaussse we're holed away doesssn't mean we don't have our own problemsss?"

Damn it, he's still here. Guess I better give him a taste of what happens to people that fuck with me.

With this, I turn around, and then I point my gun straight at his heart. One shot, and he's fucking dead. That would make anybody afraid.

...

Why the fuck isn't this guy moving?

"You wouldn't shoot me with that," he said almost too calmly. "Your fassse showsss that you've pointed it at many and have never fired."

"...Because I never needed to!" Damn it, I hope he didn't catch the wait time that was in there...

"Wasss that hesssitation I notisssed?" asked the lizard.

Damn it. I can't do this anymore. He's won.

I lower the gun then. Maybe I'll shoot him in the foot when he least expects it. But... no, that wouldn't be as fun.

"You sssee?" asked the lizard. "You jussst need to let the good come out of you."

"Good?" I asked. I really hate this guy, I really do. But I'll play along for now if it' gonna get me out of here. Because, I've got a ton of questions that need to be answered.

"Yesss," replied the priest. "I can sssee the good in you. You may not sssay 'kupo' at the end of your wordsss, but there is ssstill good. Pleassse give me a chanssse to sssee that."

Pah. There is no good in me. What does this guy think he is, the king of Ivalice? Ah, well, I guess I better sucker up to him.

"Fine," I said. "But only because it means I can get the fuck away from this dump."

"Pleassse, I want no trouble," replied the priest. "And I do hope I can find the good in you. I'm Ocon, by the way."

"Nusratt," I said simply. This cocksucker doesn't know when to quit, really. I'm not saying it again.

I'll be honest; I don't know why I'm following him out. All I remember is the last glance I took at that damn chopping block as I left. I don't think I'll even miss it that much anyway; my life may have centered around it, but I never really liked it anyways. So I'm not gonna miss that piece of shit. At all.

I just hope my wings don't get stiff after living in their world for so long. Maybe the guys are right after all; there's more to this country that I haven't seen yet. But if this cocksucker is any kind of pointer, this world probably isn't much better than it is here. I just hope this guy doesn't get too full of himself while he 'works' on me.